The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) launched a 10-year recovery plan to address the drastic decline of Ishasha’s tree-climbing lions, with $14 million in projected investment and a focus on habitat restoration, community engagement, and preventing further population loss.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) have unveiled a 10-year partnership to reverse the alarming decline of Ishasha’s iconic tree-climbing lions, a species once numbering 80 in the 1970s but now reduced to just two females. The initiative, announced Wednesday last week, aims to address threats including human-wildlife conflict, habitat degradation, and genetic isolation, with a $14 million investment targeting ecological recovery over the next five years.
The Crisis in Ishasha
Ishasha, part of Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area, is renowned for its unique population of lions that climb trees—a behavior that has made the region a key tourist destination. However, the population has plummeted, with UWA commissioner for biodiversity management John Makombo citing human-wildlife conflict, movement of lions out of the area, and breeding challenges
as primary causes. The population that could be in Ishasha is either moving away, being killed or not breeding,
Makombo said, noting that some lions have migrated north or left the area to avoid male dominance. The decline has also been exacerbated by retaliatory killings after lions attack livestock and cultural practices involving the removal of lion parts.
Dr. Simon Takozekibi Nampindo, representing WCS at the launch, emphasized that immediate translocation of new lions is not part of the strategy. We are not going to breed lions. We plan to work as hard as we can to first prevail over the threats, improve community relations, and also improve the habitat,
he stated. He highlighted that prey populations remain stable, providing a foundation for recovery if threats are mitigated. The prey are in good numbers, so the food for the lions is already there,
Nampindo added.
The Recovery Strategy
WCS, which has supported Uganda’s conservation efforts since 1957, will provide financial resources, staff training, and scientific research to guide interventions. The organization also mentioned the potential for carefully planned lion translocations
if ecological conditions improve, though such actions would require consultation with local communities and adherence to IUCN guidelines. We shall only bring in the supplementation if the management of what is on the ground makes it relevant and good,
Nampindo said.
Community and Conservation
Engaging surrounding communities is a cornerstone of the plan. Makombo stressed the need to improve community relations
to reduce retaliatory actions against lions, while WCS highlighted the importance of ensuring conservation benefits local populations. The partnership builds on over five decades of collaboration between UWA and WCS, with the new agreement formalizing a co-management model that maintains Ugandan sovereignty over the area.
The initiative also aims to address the broader ecological health of the region, which includes elephants, buffaloes, and topi. A six-member committee, comprising representatives from both organisations, will monitor progress and coordinate interventions. While the immediate focus is on lions, the 10-year framework underscores a long-term commitment to preserving the Greater Virunga Landscape, a transboundary ecosystem vital to Africa’s biodiversity.
The plan’s success hinges on mitigating threats that have pushed Ishasha’s lions to the brink. With the region’s unique ecological and tourism value at stake, the partnership represents a critical effort to balance conservation, community needs, and the survival of a species that has become a symbol of Uganda’s natural heritage.
