Uganda’s famous Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP) is a truly amazing sight. It is the country’s largest national park, covering an area of 3,840 square kilometres. It runs along the Victoria Nile for about 100 kilometres, from the Karuma Bridge to Lake Albert in the west. The stunning Murchison Falls are located in the middle of the wilderness.
As you get closer to Murchison Falls, the majestic Nile River changes into a beautiful waterfall that squeezes through a gorge just 7 metres wide and plunges down the rift valley escarment at a drop of about 40 metres, creating one of the most powerful water falls in Africa.
There are many chances to see wild animals in Murchison Falls National Park, both on land and in the water. When you take a game drive to the northern side of the Nile, you see a number of wild animals, including lions, elephants, hippos, buffalo, and giraffes.
Murchison Falls National Park at 3893 square kilometres, Bugungu Wildlife Reserve at 748 square kilometres, and Karuma Wildlife Reserve at 720 square kilometres all combine to form the Murchison Falls Conservation Area (MFCA). At 5300 square kilometres, this is the largest conservation area in the country park.
The findings from the 2022 study reveal the remarkable biodiversity present within the Murchison Falls Conservation Area (MFCA). Notably, the park harbours a diverse array of flora and fauna, comprising 144 mammal species, 556 bird species, 51 reptilian species, and 51 amphibian species. Despite fluctuations observed in the populations of certain species, the collective abundance remains substantial.
The upward trend in the numbers of some species within the MFCA is particularly noteworthy. Aerial surveys have documented a significant increase in the population of African elephants, with figures rising from 900 individuals in 2010 to 1,330 individuals in 2013. This notable expansion underscores the conservation efforts within the park and highlights the efficacy of management strategies aimed at safeguarding keystone species.
Nubian giraffes, also known as Rothschild’s giraffes, are a distinctive feature of the MFCA and thrive in their natural habitat. As of 2012, there were about 1,000 of them in the park, making it the most common species to see. In January 2016, a planned conservation effort translocated twenty giraffes from the northern bank of the Nile to the southern area. The goal of this plan was to encourage tourism and protection by adding another population of giraffes to the southern part of the park.
From less than 4,000 in 1999 to over 10,000 now, the number of buffalo has grown by a large amount. The number of Ugandan Kobs also grew quickly and significantly during the same time period, rising from 7,500 to more than 35,000. Researchers estimate that 150 to 200 lions reside in 15 to 20 prides. The population is still strong. Additionally, there are large numbers of spotted hyenas.
Other large animal species in the park include the Jackson’s hartebeest, oribi, bushbuck, the Defassa waterbuck, the Bohor reedbuck, and the warthog. Vervet monkeys, Olive baboons, Patas monkeys, and other species live in both the savannah and forest areas, which makes the park’s natural variety even greater. The Rabong Forest is home to chimpanzees and other primates.
