Uganda Wildlife Education Centre is located along the shores of L. Victoria in Entebbe town plot 56/7 Lugard Avenue Entebbe Uganda. The center is a 15 minutes drive to Entebbe International airport and 36km from Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. Formerly known as “Entebbe Zoo” the center was established in 1952 and was opened by the colonial government in Uganda and was meant to be a reception center for wild animals that were found as victims of trafficking and illegal trade and injured. It was then taken over by the UWEC Trust for conservation and Education purposes.
UWEC is a leading agency mandated to conserve wildlife and educate the public about wildlife conservation in Uganda. The center also does wildlife rescue, treatment of sick and injured wildlife from all the national parks through their veterinary staff and in partnership with Uganda Wildlife Authority, wildlife quarantine services and they also contribute to species recovery. The center has a collection of wildlife with over 120 bird species: water birds, terrestrial and forest birds, lions, leopards, cheetahs, rhinos, zebras giraffes, chimpanzees, and monkeys like Vervet monkey in free-range and reptiles like crocodiles and snakes, and 250 herbs and medicinal plants.
UWEC is not a conventional zoo, neither is it a Safari Park, but it is a center where wildlife education is combined with leisure for both adults and children. Their main aim is to model the main ecosystem of this country in open-range exhibits. Not only can you observe many of Africa’s most exciting indigenous species here, but comprehensive interactive interpretation and briefings on them are also given.
Some of the popular visitors’ programs available at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre include:
Behind the scenes tour.
Seeing the animals from the fence or built wall or cage might not be enough for you but this activity gives you a chance to observe and encounter the behavior of the lions, giraffes, elephants, and rhinos among the other animals and experience firsthand how the keepers feed the animals and visit the food preparation areas, carry out health checks and much more.
Chimpanzee close-ups.
Found in the forests of Africa, their habitat is slowly being encroached on by humans and its population is gradually reducing and UWEC is there to educate and also protect these cousins of ours from extinction by giving you a chance to uniquely experience what it feels like to be with them as they cling on you. This is a rare opportunity to bond with the human closest creature and learn about their behavior and the dangers they face in the wild.
A keeper for a day.
Get a chance to join the UWEC keeper’s team and prepare food and go on the tractor exhibit to exhibit as you feed the amazing array of animals from the elephants, buffalos, giraffes to the lions, and leopards, go for keepers’ briefings participate in animal behavior recording and maybe perform health checks. This might be the best of your work routines.
Guided tour.
Get the experience of being guided and allow the guide to tell you stories and facts about these animals that you will stay with for life.
If you either have a planned safari or one that is not, don’t miss out on making a touchdown and be welcomed by the Uganda wildlife education center and get an opportunity to catch a glimpse of Africa’s wildlife all in one place with an addition of the Bengal tigers.
It is not just a zoo but a rescue, rehabilitation, release, and conservation center and the experience is beyond learning about animals and the place won’t depress you.