Addressing some of Uganda’s most urgent wildlife and conservation priorities: Dr. James Watuwa

​In Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda, wildlife veterinarian and WCN 2019 scholarship recipient James Watuwa works quickly to free a baby African bush elephant from a snare. As the mother paces and trumpets nearby, James gently untangles the long, looped piece of wire cutting into the elephant’s hind leg and treats the wound with antibiotics. Once finished, he steps away quickly, giving the mother ample space to safely rejoin her baby. As James watches the two of them disappear into the forest, he worries about other hidden snares in the wildlife refuge.
A typical day in the field for James might include rescuing a snared elephant, collaring a lion, or surveying mountain gorilla populations for the Ugandan and Rwandan governments. Taking care of animals has been a part of his life since childhood and his love for wildlife inspired him to become a veterinarian.

​Early inspiration
Dr. Watuwa grew  up in the Manafwa District of Uganda where his love for animal began early in childhood while tending to home pets and livestock. Dr. Watuwa is a wildlife and zoo veterinarian with Uganda wildlife conservation education center (Entebbe zoo) as well as a co-founder of the Endangered Wildlife Conservation Organization (EWCO www.ewco.org.ug ). With five years’ experience as a field wildlife veterinarian in Uganda. While studying at   Makerere University, he interned and participated   in zoo keeper   activities   at Uganda Wildlife and Conservation Education Centre (Entebbe zoo) where he   met and worked with zoo keepers who mentored him   into considering a career in wildlife veterinary medicine. His choice to study veterinary medicine at university was thus a culmination of his determination to advance a career in conservation from health perspective. Although studying veterinary medicine Dr. Watuwa made direct connections to wildlife such as participating in elephant and lion collaring, rescue of snared animals as well as wildlife population counts. After graduating, He started as a volunteer wildlife veterinarian working in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park while protecting and monitoring of Mountain Gorilla health. He was later offered a job within CTPH NGO as a wildlife veterinarian during which he co- Lead a research team in the 2018 Bwindi –Sarambwe Mountain gorilla census   sweeping through forests, finding gorilla trails and night nests, and collecting gorilla fecal samples for analysis that lead to status downgrade from critically endangered to endangered. He also developed his  NGO management skills and knowledge in conducting research and community centered conservation projects.

He   brings on board experience and skills developed in community centered conservation, zoo and wildlife veterinary practice developed while working under the supervision and guidance of senior veterinary doctors from, CTPH, and Uganda Wildlife Authority. Currently Dr.  Watuwa is a senior veterinarian at Uganda Wildlife and Conservation Education Centre (Entebbe zoo).

Understanding the potential impact of oil exploration and mining in Uganda
After graduating as a veterinary surgeon from Makerere University ( BVM, 2017) , James became concerned about how oil exploration might affect wildlife, particularly the wellbeing of elephants. While he believes that the oil industry has great potential to contribute to Uganda’s economic development, he is concerned the activities involved in oil and gas exploration and development can have detrimental impacts on sensitive ecosystems.
To find out more he is gathering fecal samples of the elephants and analyzing them for stress hormones and helminthes (parasites).

The purpose of this study is to generate data on animal behaviors and levels of stress in relation to seasonality and geographical differences and to advise appropriate measures for minimizing potential impacts from development activities. Details of this project can be found at Elephant Stress Levels Impacted by Oil Development in Uganda? (wildanimalhealthfund.org).

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Dr. Watuwa carrying out ballotment test to detect pregnancy on African lioness during annual health checks at UWEC (Photo by Kibuuka Diana)

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In 2022  Now earning his MSc in Wildlife Health and Management, James brings a wealth of experience as a wildlife and zoo veterinarian ,rescuing snared animals, collaring elephants and lions, participating in gorilla census and giraffe translocations, leading park ranger trainings to improve gorilla health monitoring. His other projects include  developing a stress hormone strip project and working to reduce human-related threats to gorillas in the Bwindi Project by strengthening the capacity of rangers in forensics.

Citizen science for amphibian conservation
 But this is just one of James’ interests. Knowing that community engagement is key to successful wildlife conservation efforts, James started a community-based conservation project: the Endangered Wildlife Conservation Organization (EWCO), formerly called Elgon Wildlife Conservation Organization. Their key focuses are on amphibian and reptile conservation, which has been at the forefront of identifying and conservation of amphibian species and promoting knowledge of them in Ugandan communities.
 
 Through the program, EWCO volunteers can gather and share information about amphibian and reptile observations across Uganda. The data gathered is made available to HerpMapper Partners/ groups who use the recorded observations for raising conservation awareness, research and conservation.

Examining a frog.  Photo by Kennedy.

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