The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has launched the first ever Uganda Conservation Media Awards, which are aimed at promoting conservation reporting.

Launching the awards on Tuesday, UWA executive director Samuel Mwandha said the initiative will help create awareness and push policymakers to come up with better ways to protect wildlife.  

“The challenges facing the management and conservation of wildlife and biodiversity in Uganda are many," he said at the UWA headquarters in Kampala.

The Executive Director Uganda Wildlife Authority, Samuel Mwandha and Hangi Bashiri manager communications UWA during during the launch of the Media Conservation awards. (Photo by Wilfred Sanya)

"We face poaching, competition in the regional tourism market, human wildlife conflict and wildlife crimes.

“We recognize the role played by journalists reporting on wildlife and conservation, especially the challenges geared at creating solutions. That is why we have come out for the first time to have these awards."

The awards will focus on four areas: community conservation, wildlife protection, wildlife crimes and habitats.

The stories eligible for entry for the above categories must have been published between June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023.

The awards are open to print, online, radio and television story entries, with a cash prize of sh5m up for grabs for individual winners.

A special award will be presented to the best photographer of the year for UWA activities.

Mwandha urged anyone intending to visit their conservation areas to cover stories for the awards to seek their permission first in order to produce rich stories.

“Those participating should bring out messages of how the conservation has been affected and how it should be conserved, especially by the communities staying near the wildlife area," he said.

Isaac Mujaasi, the conservation education speacialist WildAid, Hangi Bashiri manager communications UWA and Manz Robertson WildAid East Africa representative at the launch of the media conservation awards. (Photo by Wilfred Sanya)

The UWA boss said they hope to see stories that bring out messages of how habitants and wildlife can coexist.

The wildlife crimes stories should have been published to address the communities and to inform them about the effects of the crimes committed.

Currently, UWA takes care of 10 national parks and 12 wildlife reserves and manages Uganda's tourism industry, as well as attract investors.

Maz Robertson the East Africa representative for WildAid, a sponsor of the conservation media awards said the awards will increase awareness and create impact in the communities.

Robertson added that it will give journalists an opportunity to write compelling articles encouraging people to conserve endangered species.

WildAid is an environmental organization based in San Francisco in the US, focuses on reducing the demand for wildlife products.