Destruction of wetlands has endangered the shoebill
THE continued destruction of wetlands and capture for trade has dealt a severe blow to the shoebill.
By John Kasozi
THE continued destruction of wetlands and capture for trade has dealt a severe blow to the shoebill.
The shoebill’s breeding nature — two eggs in five years — may make its population never recover unless their breeding places are tightly protected.
“In 1990, Wetlands International counted 600 shoebills in Uganda, but in 1998 when Nature Uganda did the recounting, they recorded only about 250 shoebills,†said Achilles Byaruhanga, the executive director of Nature Uganda.
The major stronghold of the shoebills in Uganda is the Lake Kyoga sudds. Other wetlands with shoebills include Mabamba, Lutembe, Sango Bay, Nabugabo, Murchison Falls, Nabajjuzi and areas around Lake George.
All birds have a tendency to move around the Lake Victoria wetlands that are interconnected.
The world population for the shoebill is estimated at about 6,000. Southern Sudan is believed to have the biggest shoebill population in the world because of the large expanses of wetland sudds.
There are plans to carry proper studies in future after the region has stabilised.
The shoebill lives, feeds and breeds in deep remote marshes. It also breeds in wetland sudds. It feeds on mainly lungfish and tilapia.
Mabamba wetlands, one of the sites where the shoebill is found, are located in Kasanje sub-county, Wakiso district along the shores of Lake Victoria.
The wetlands were on World Wetlands Day (February 2) designated as a Ramsar site and added on the list of nine wetlands of international importance in Uganda.
The term Ramsar site refers to wetlands of national and international importance.
“Mabamba wetlands are a great international site to tour. And there is much to be seen,†said Dr. Peter Bridgewater, the outgoing secretary general of Ramsar, adding: “It is the only swamp near Kampala where one can easily find the globally threatened shoebill.â€
According to the last counting, Mabamba was home to 14 shoebills.
“The shoebill, referred to as a legendary bird, lays its eggs on the floating wetland vegetation. The male and female look after the eggs in turns.
The first to sit on the eggs takes one month and the second takes three weeks,†explained Hannington Kasasa, the operations manager of Mabamba Bird Guides and Conservation Association.
The wetlands are also an important bird area. Over 190 bird species exist in the wetlands. Mabamba’s system supports more than 75% of the population of migratory globally vulnerable bird species like the blue swallows, kingfisher, African jacana and African fish eagle.
The marshes are also breeding grounds for fish except the Nile perch.
In addition, the system supports a high diversity of plant species and over 200 butterfly species have been recorded in Mabamba.
Bridgewater urged the people living around natural resources to use them wisely. “We have to conserve the wetlands. What I have seen is very inspiring,†he said.
He also explained that wetlands have many advantages like filtering and storing water plus regulating climate and water flow. “Wetlands are really important for the ecosystem.â€
Bridgewater and the group also planted various tree species from different conservation bodies at Mabamba.
Kasasa appealed to development partners to assist them to set up a bird observation tour and acquire canoes, cameras, life jackets and binoculars so as to promote tourism.
He said on average they could make 10 trips of between one to five tourists every week, adding that they charge sh40,000 per boat ride.
The major watching seasons are mainly July to August and January to February.
February marks the date of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands in the Iranian City of Ramsar 36 years ago.
The convention was developed to call international attention to the rate at which wetlands were disappearing.
“It provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
More so, it is the only environmental treaty dealing with a particular natural resource — the wetlands,†said Paul Mafabi, the commissioner for Wetlands Inspection Division (WID).
Uganda ratified the convention in 1988 and designated Lake George as the first wetland of international importance.
Currently, Uganda is holding the vice chair of the Ramsar Standing Committee and chair of the sub-group on the strategic plan 2003-2008.
Uganda held the Conservation of Parties in November 2005 and is now part of preparations for the next one to be held in Korea, 2008.
At the international scene, Uganda has made considerable progress in the area of wetlands management, more especially as the first country in Africa to adopt a national wetlands policy, to establish the WID and integrating wetland issues into the poverty eradication strategies.
THE continued destruction of wetlands and capture for trade has dealt a severe blow to the shoebill.
The shoebill’s breeding nature — two eggs in five years — may make its population never recover unless their breeding places are tightly protected.
“In 1990, Wetlands International counted 600 shoebills in Uganda, but in 1998 when Nature Uganda did the recounting, they recorded only about 250 shoebills,†said Achilles Byaruhanga, the executive director of Nature Uganda.
The major stronghold of the shoebills in Uganda is the Lake Kyoga sudds. Other wetlands with shoebills include Mabamba, Lutembe, Sango Bay, Nabugabo, Murchison Falls, Nabajjuzi and areas around Lake George.
All birds have a tendency to move around the Lake Victoria wetlands that are interconnected.
The world population for the shoebill is estimated at about 6,000. Southern Sudan is believed to have the biggest shoebill population in the world because of the large expanses of wetland sudds.
There are plans to carry proper studies in future after the region has stabilised.
The shoebill lives, feeds and breeds in deep remote marshes. It also breeds in wetland sudds. It feeds on mainly lungfish and tilapia.
Mabamba wetlands, one of the sites where the shoebill is found, are located in Kasanje sub-county, Wakiso district along the shores of Lake Victoria.
The wetlands were on World Wetlands Day (February 2) designated as a Ramsar site and added on the list of nine wetlands of international importance in Uganda.
The term Ramsar site refers to wetlands of national and international importance.
“Mabamba wetlands are a great international site to tour. And there is much to be seen,†said Dr. Peter Bridgewater, the outgoing secretary general of Ramsar, adding: “It is the only swamp near Kampala where one can easily find the globally threatened shoebill.â€
According to the last counting, Mabamba was home to 14 shoebills.
“The shoebill, referred to as a legendary bird, lays its eggs on the floating wetland vegetation. The male and female look after the eggs in turns.
The first to sit on the eggs takes one month and the second takes three weeks,†explained Hannington Kasasa, the operations manager of Mabamba Bird Guides and Conservation Association.
The wetlands are also an important bird area. Over 190 bird species exist in the wetlands. Mabamba’s system supports more than 75% of the population of migratory globally vulnerable bird species like the blue swallows, kingfisher, African jacana and African fish eagle.
The marshes are also breeding grounds for fish except the Nile perch.
In addition, the system supports a high diversity of plant species and over 200 butterfly species have been recorded in Mabamba.
Bridgewater urged the people living around natural resources to use them wisely. “We have to conserve the wetlands. What I have seen is very inspiring,†he said.
He also explained that wetlands have many advantages like filtering and storing water plus regulating climate and water flow. “Wetlands are really important for the ecosystem.â€
Bridgewater and the group also planted various tree species from different conservation bodies at Mabamba.
Kasasa appealed to development partners to assist them to set up a bird observation tour and acquire canoes, cameras, life jackets and binoculars so as to promote tourism.
He said on average they could make 10 trips of between one to five tourists every week, adding that they charge sh40,000 per boat ride.
The major watching seasons are mainly July to August and January to February.
February marks the date of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands in the Iranian City of Ramsar 36 years ago.
The convention was developed to call international attention to the rate at which wetlands were disappearing.
“It provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
More so, it is the only environmental treaty dealing with a particular natural resource — the wetlands,†said Paul Mafabi, the commissioner for Wetlands Inspection Division (WID).
Uganda ratified the convention in 1988 and designated Lake George as the first wetland of international importance.
Currently, Uganda is holding the vice chair of the Ramsar Standing Committee and chair of the sub-group on the strategic plan 2003-2008.
Uganda held the Conservation of Parties in November 2005 and is now part of preparations for the next one to be held in Korea, 2008.
At the international scene, Uganda has made considerable progress in the area of wetlands management, more especially as the first country in Africa to adopt a national wetlands policy, to establish the WID and integrating wetland issues into the poverty eradication strategies.