10 giraffes captured in Murchison for translocation

A capture team is keeping 10 giraffes at Tangi gate in Murchison Falls National Park.

The giraffes were captured within five days ahead of an operation to move a total 20 giraffes from the northern bank to the southern bank of River Nile within Murchison.

"The giraffes are being kept in a boma (enclosure) at Tangi gate near Packwach and if all goes well they will be moved by ferry across River Nile tomorrow," said Jossy Muhangi of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

After release of the giraffes on the southern bank, the capture team will return to the northern bank and capture another batch of 10 giraffes and relocate them to the southern bank of the Nile, according to Muhangi.

The Giraffe Conservation Foundation is supporting UWA to expand the home range of the giraffes. About 1,200 giraffes stay on the northern banks of the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park.

Murchison Falls National Park lies in the districts of Buliisa, Masindi and Kiryandongo in the south and the northern part is sitting in Nwoya district. It covers 3840 square Kilometers and it has Murchison Falls. 

The giraffes keep on one side of River Nile because they can't swim but they can wade through swallow water with their long necks out of water, according to a web publication known as intelligent answers. The giraffes have always kept on the northern part of Murchison because the Nile is deep and wide as it enters Lake Albert. 

The top wildlife body in the country translocated 18 giraffes a few years ago and three of them have been seen with calves bringing the total number to 21. "Unconfirmed reports indicate that there are three babies and if this is true then we have 21 giraffes in the southern part of the park," said Muhangi.