Africa-Press – Uganda. Conservationists have expressed concern over endangered bird and animal species in Nabajjuzi Wetland in Masaka City, which are facing extinction.
Nabajjuzi, which is a Ramsar site (a wetland of international purpose) has over the years served as home for a number of birds and animals.
Mr Richard Guma, a tour guide and an environmentalist in Masaka City, said some species like sitatunga (a rare swamp-dwelling antelope), crested cranes, shoebill, papyrus gonolek, and various types of snakes, which used to be seen around Nabajjuzi , have all disappeared.
This, Guma says, could be a result of increased human activities in the area that have led to biodiversity loss.
“Extinction is caused by encroachment on the sanctuaries of these birds, uncontrolled poaching, and others. The crested cranes were poisoned by farmers who are adjacent to Nabajjuzi,” Mr Guma said in an interview yesterday.
Mr Edward Waliggo, the chairperson of Gayaza Village in Masaka City, told Daily Monitor that sitatungas used to destroy food crops in their gardens closer to Nabajjuzi, but they have since disappeared.
“I have taken like five years without seeing any [Sitatungas], the same applies to snakes, for birds that used to attract tourists, they vanished because the trees which were in the middle of the swamp were cut down,” he said
Nabajjuzi wetland is also a main source of piped water for a 237,000 Masaka City population. It is upon the worth of the ecosystem that city authorities in 2021 resolved to petition the United Nations Ramzaar Convention for accreditation of Masaka to get the Ramzar city status and this will make it the second in Africa.
Ms Prossy Kabanda, a public relations officer at Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, a local conservation initiative, said: “Extinction of the species reduces the value of the swamp and it affects Masaka’s bid for a Ramzar city status”.
In 2004, Nature Uganda, a civil society conservation organisation, launched Nabajjuzi wetland ecotourism development project to promote its sustainable use and conservation of the threatened wildlife.
Mr Achilles Byaruhanga, the executive director of Nature Uganda, said efforts to conserve birds and animals in Nabajjuzi were frustrated by Masaka City authorities who parceled out land on the boundaries of the wetland.
“Nabajjuzi is an ecologically sensitive site, but leaders in Masaka have sold off land in the area and investors who have constructed factories and residential houses chased away the animals and birds. Currently, there are no conservation activities taking place,” he said.
Mr Tonny Ssempijja, the Masaka city council speaker, said plans are underway to evict all encroachers in Nabajjuzi Wetland.
“We have also budgeted for the reconstruction of the eco-tourism site to attract more tourists. We are committed to conserving the remaining few endangered species to keep the pursuit of a Ramzar city status alive and to deter water crisis,” he said.
The Ramsar site
Nabajjuzi Ramsar site, which is on Masaka-Mbarara Highway, has over the years provided a spawning ground for mudfish and lungfish. It has also become home for other unique animals and birds such as sitatunga antelope, shoebill and papyrus yellow warbler.
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