Where to see lions in Uganda

Uganda has in general ten national parks that are inhabited by several wildlife species and among these, lions can be found mainly in Queen Elizabeth national park, Murchison Falls national park and Kidepo valley national park.

Queen Elizabeth National park and Murchison Falls National Park are the only parks in Uganda with tree climbing lions. In Queen Elizabeth National Park, tree climbing lions can be seen in the Ishasha sector and at Murchison, there is bigger space to enrich your game drive experience.

Queen Elizabeth Park - Tree climbing lions — Queen Elizabeth Park – Tree climbing lions

Kidepo valley national park is the only park in Uganda where you can spot lions along with cheetahs.

There is only one male lion in Lake Mburo national park though rarely spotted.

Population of lions in these parks. As per the 2016 census, Queen Elizabeth National park had an estimate of 99 lions, Kidepo Valley National Park with 120 lions and Murchison Falls National Park with 98 lions.

Causes of decline in lion population

The weak applied legal framework. For instance there are well known restaurants that deal in uncertified game meat around the country but no serious measures have been taken to ensure that these restaurants are closed or certifying avenues for proper acquisition of game meat.

Snares set by poachers. In quest for the different types of game meat, lions often fall in traps that are usually meant for other animals. This is not to imply that it is okay to poach other animals rather the poachers rarely target lions.

However because they share grazing grounds with antelopes they become victims of antelope traps. In quick response to curb the snares effect on our wildlife, agencies like Uganda wildlife authority and other conservationist bodies have deployed human resource to get rid of snares as well as arresting the people setting snares.

Lion trafficking. Lions alongside with other animal species such as the chimpanzees are facing trafficking threats in Uganda. Some of these animals leave the country through Congo, Kenya and other neighboring countries.

Visit any of the above mentioned destinations with Jewel Safaris Uganda and other several game parks in Uganda with the amazing wildlife. Kindly contact us for more details.