Wildlife authority to recruit 500 rangers, deploy drones, helicopter

The proverbial stone that builders ignored but later became the cornerstone captures the mood in Uganda’s wilderness. 

The rangers under the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) protect wildlife against any manner of harm but they end up with the lowest take-home.  This is set to change as UWA is going to dig deeper into its coffers to recruit more rangers, provide better pay, and also support the foot soldiers with modern technology.

UWA executive director Dr James Musinguzi told New Vision Online: “This financial year (2025-2026), we are going to recruit 500 rangers.”

He adds: We currently have one ranger for every 22 square kilometres of land. This is far less than what is recommended: one ranger for 10 square kilometres under IUCN (the World Conservation Union).

The UWA boss also says the biggest conservation body is in the process of being equipped with advanced technology to check poaching. “We are also going to get drones and a helicopter.”

UWA is also setting up a command centre at the Gorilla Nest in Kampala, which is UWA’s headquarters, to follow up on poaching in real time and to co-ordinate better with the enforcement teams on the ground.

Apart from the increased recruitment and deployment of advanced technology, UWA is promising to motivate its staff with better pay. “We are working on how to increase the rangers’ pay, we need to increase salary to Shs1 million.”

Musinguzi was speaking during the occasion organised at Murchison Delta in Murchison Falls National in Nwoya to celebrate the 2025 Wildlife Ranger Challenge.

British High Commissioner to Uganda Lisa Chesney and Netherlands Ambassador to Uganda Frederieke Quispel attended the one-day Wildlife Ranger Challenge.

Chesney described Uganda as a biodiversity superpower, pointing out that it is endowed with a unique wildlife heritage, while Quispel said it is important to support conservation and tourism. 

“We work a lot to support the work of women. It is not easy to be a woman. The whole society approach should work to support women,” she said.

The challenge, which started in 2020, involves a walking race of 21 kilometres, designed to test rangers' skills, knowledge, and teamwork, raising awareness and funds for their vital work.  The competing rangers carried back bags containing 22kgs and walked from Pakuba Air strip to the Nile Delta where the River Nile meets Lake Albert.

“We must show solidarity with the people at the frontline to ensure that wild animals survive for conservation and tourism,” said Musinguzi.

“We do not pay you enough, but you put your life on the line. You should know that we value you.”

He added, “Let us protect wildlife, let us diversify our products. Without animals, we have no jobs. We are also working hard to see how pay as you earn can be removed from the ranger force.”

Musinguzi pointed out that conservation is everyone’s business but not everyone funds conservation. He also pointed out that conservation is expensive. “We need tourism to survive. Let us have passion for our work, let us have passion for our country.”

Musinguzi said the wildlife and tourism sector as well as agriculture, agri-industrialisation and science and technology have to increase its contribution to the economy by threefold by 2040.

Michael Keigwin, the Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Conservation Foundation (UCF) said they have removed over 5,000 snares in the park and also rescued 1,000 animals from snares. He said it is important to improve the welfare of the rangers and to keep them motivated.

The Ranger Challenge, a continent-wide effort has raised over $21 million since 2020 to support rangers across Africa. Beyond funding, it shines a spotlight on these unsung conservation leaders who protect the very ecosystems that give us clean air, water, and food.

The Wildlife Ranger Challenge is supported by Tusk and the Game Rangers Association of Africa (GRAA) and organized locally by the Uganda Conservation Foundation (UCF) at the Murchison Falls National Park.

Now in it is sixth year, the Challenge brings together over 170 ranger teams from more than 24 African countries to compete in mental and physical challenges, culminating in half-marathons at sites across the continent.

In a video address to Challenge participants, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, Tusk’s Royal Patron whose United For Wildlife initiative also supports African conservation, said:

“Being a ranger extends far beyond conservation. You are educators, community leaders, researchers, mentors and protectors of cultural and historical heritage, yet this remains one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth. Every day you put your lives at risk to protect what is irreplaceable.

Without you and your dedication, there is no path to protecting nature, no path to meeting our global goals, no future for the wildlife and natural world we all cherish and rely on. You are all central to the solution, and I stand with you today and always in ensuring that your efforts are recognised, valued and supported.”

Across Africa, rangers patrol some of the planet’s most biodiverse and remote landscapes, working long hours often with limited equipment, minimal insurance, and life-threatening risks.

A recent ranger survey revealed that 50% have no health insurance, 60% lack long-term disability cover, and most earn less than half the salary of local police officers.

There are fewer than 300,000 rangers on active duty today, about 60,000 of them in Africa. But as many as 1.5 million are needed to meet global nature protection targets.