List Of Wild Animals In Uganda
A wild animal is an animal that is, well, wild. This means that it isn’t tame and it lives on its own without any help from people. A wild animal finds its own food, shelter, water and all its other needs in a specific natural habitat. Habitat can be a field, woods, pond, wetland, prairie, park, or your yard.
The Most Dangerous Animals in Uganda Today
Uganda has many timid animals that stay hidden most of the time. Alternatively, there are many animals that can pose a threat. Look at some examples of the most dangerous wildlife in Uganda:
Hippopotamus – At first glance, hippos look fairly harmless. But these are powerful animals with jaws strong enough to break a canoe in half. Plus, when these animals stampede they can trample anything in their path. There are approximately 500 people killed each year in Africa by this large mammal.
Cape Buffalo – This unique and weighty mammal definitely looks like more of a threat than a hippo. When it’s threatened this animal doesn’t back off. Instead, it becomes aggressive. This buffalo can charge a person or animal reaching speeds of 30 miles per hour. Not as fast as the world champion cheetah, but still very fast.
Puff Adder – These aggressive snakes are common in well-populated areas in Uganda. Not surprisingly, it becomes an issue when snakes and people populate the same small area. This snake can’t lift its head off the ground but can strike a person’s foot with its venomous fangs. When it comes to fatal snakebites, the puff adder leads the pack in Africa!
Mosquitoes – Mosquitoes dangerous? Yes. Uganda has a lot of low-altitude regions which are home to many mosquitoes. The danger comes if a person is bitten by a mosquito carrying malaria. Malaria is a deadly disease, especially for young people. This is why mosquito netting is so common in this region.
Where to Find the Top Wild Animals in Uganda
The list of unique animals living in Uganda is long. Some of these amazing animals keep hidden most of the time while others are a common sight to Ugandans. Look at where to find some of the top wild animals in Uganda.
African bush elephant – These elephants live in both the grassland and woodland areas of Uganda.
Kibale National Park in Uganda is home to many African Bush elephants.
Cape buffalo – Whether they live in a dense forest or on the open plains, Cape buffalos look for habitat near water. Murchison Falls National Park and Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda are two places to see these unique animals.
Hippopotamus – Hippos live in rivers, lakes, and swampy areas surrounded by grass. Hippos can be seen near the Ntungwe River in Queen Elizabeth National Park as well as near the Nile River in Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda.
Crocodile – Crocodiles inhabit Murchison Falls National Park and can be seen on the shores of the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Leopard – The habitat of a leopard includes savannas and forest areas of Uganda. They can be seen in Kidepo Valley National Park and Lake Mburo National Park.
Giraffe -Giraffes live on savannas where they can find plenty of leaves and grass to eat. They are found in Murchison National Park as well as Kidepo National Park in Uganda. Living in the protected environment of these parks has helped this vulnerable animal from becoming extinct.
Endangered Animals in Uganda
Unfortunately, there are some animals in Uganda that are endangered. Loss of habitat through land development, loss of food sources, and disease are just some of the reasons why some animals become endangered and sometimes go extinct. Look at some of the endangered animals in Uganda.
- Mountain gorilla
- African savanna elephant (Critically Endangered)
- Chimpanzee
- Crested Crane
- Lappet-faced vulture
- Giant ground pangolin
- African wild dog
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What are the big five animals in Uganda?
Africa Big 5 Animals found in Uganda. Africa Big 5 animals is a term coined back in the 1800s by trophy hunters, referring to what they considered the most challenging and dangerous animals to hunt on foot. These include the African Elephant, Lion, Leopard, African Buffalo, and Rhinoceros.