Research & Monitoring

UWA currently has limited research facilities at Mweya in Queen Elizabeth National Park; Rabongo Forest in Murchison Falls National Park; and in Kidepo Valley National Park.

In collaboration with UWA, Makerere University runs the Makerere University Biological Field Station in Kibale National Park and Mbarara University runs the Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. These must be contacted directly for access to their facilities.

UWA’s research priorities reflect the organization's mandate of conservation and development under four main themes:

• Ecology: species, habitat, fire, hydrobiology and disease
• Biodiversity: inventories, vegetation dynamics and mapping
• Social-economics: local communities, human-wildlife interactions and cost-benefit sharing
• Development: policy, tourism, use rights and trade

Similarly, monitoring activities are prioritized under the fields of:

• Ecology: wild animals, vegetation and meteorology
• Social-economics: demographic and resource use
• Management: illegal activities, problem animals and patrol coverage
• Development: concessions, tourism and pollution

Detailed priorities for each of the Protected Areas are available at UWA headquarters, and are provided on request by the Monitoring and Research Unit.

You can however download the Application form

• Information on wildlife management areas
• Management Information System (MIST)
• Library
• Research database for easy retrieval of information on all research projects, research organizations and personnel.

Uganda Wildlife Authority is committed to conserving the country's biodiversity through research and monitoring and would be glad to receive your contribution towards improved conservation and management of Uganda's wildlife.

The research unit can be contacted via email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Anyone applying to conduct research in UWA's protected areas must follow the procedures outlined below:
Anyone intending to conduct research in Wildlife Protected Areas or on wildlife in general must fill in application forms, attach a detailed proposal and CV and submit them in duplicate to UWA.

Obtain research application forms from UWA HQ, PAS, the Internet or any other place UWA may designate. Application forms will be submitted together with copies of research proposals and a CV of the principal researcher atleast 3 months before the proposed date of commencement of the research.

The application form will be completed in duplicate (one copy deposited at UWA's HQ and one sent to the protected area where the research is to be carried out).

Students in higher institutions of learning wishing to conduct their research in UWA protected areas will need a letter from their institutions of affiliation, certifying their studentship. So do students from outside Uganda.

The proposals will be vetted by the protected area of interest and experts in the particular field of concern, before research approval by UWA. The experts could be within or outside of the organization. Proposals from undergraduate students will be vetted by UWA HQ alone since these are usually for a very short period of time and do not involve detailed research methods or in- depth analysis to be of much use to park management . Note: Foreign researchers are required by law to seek clearance from Uganda National Council for Science and Technology after approval from UWA

All researchers are to submit progress reports to UWA at specified intervals and a final report at the end of the research.
Foreign researchers are required to pay a refundable deposit of US $300 at UWA HQ. This will be given back on submission of the final report. A researcher, whether local or foreign, who fails to submit a report will not be accepted to carry out any other research within UWA's Protected Areas again.

Please download the tariffs here and check the UWA Research Fees Structure

*Changes may be made without prior notice. Other services, including accommodation, equipment hire and specimen export, are charged separately

No one is allowed to collect any specimen without prior written approval from UWA HQ. Nor is anyone allowed to take specimen outside the Protected Areas without a signed and stamped certificate from the office of the Executive Director. Any need for specimens should be clearly indicated on the application form. Approval of any research proposal does not necessarily mean approval of specimen collection. The number of specimens required per species should be indicated in the proposal and will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Exporting specimens from Uganda requires approval from various relevant government offices.

The organization reserves the right to charge fees for any specimen collected from the Protected Areas to a rate to be determined by UWA