Beth Cataldo • Art Projects

In Uganda, Goats Go to Those who Retire from Hunting

By bcataldo on August 6, 2013

Since the Ugandan National Forest Conservatory has a limited budget for conservation, the Budongo Forest Reserve project also strives to train young locals to become field guides who track the chimps in the forest. This helps bring needed attention to the human-wildlife conflict in the area. With the primary goal of the overall project focusing on conservation, engaging local communities, especially those who hunt, is key.

The project provides goats to those who agree to no longer use snares or hunt. Snares are pernicious, not only trapping the wild pigs and other small animals but also catching chimps. We saw several chimps whose were missing toes and fingers and whose limbs were deformed by the wire snare traps.

In addition to giving the hunters goats, they also provide medical care for their livestock. We joined the vet, Wyclef, on his trip to the village to give de-worming solution to the goats. After we arrived, the word that we were there spread quickly, and we gave medicine to more than 110 goats in two hours.

Related articles

• Kibale Chimpanzee Project (kibalechimpanzees.wordpress.com)
• Friday Funnies: Monkey-Business (dianabuja.wordpress.com)
• Looking at chimp’s future, seeing man’s (news.harvard.edu)
• Tracking the Sonso Community of Chimps (bethcataldo.com)
• Grooming the Man and Other Stories (bethcataldo.com)
• Destination: Tracking Chimps in Uganda (bethcataldo.com)