Katonga Wildlife Reserve

Katonga Wildlife Reserve
Katonga Wildlife Reserve
IUCN category III (natural monument or feature)
	Location in Uganda
Location	Uganda
Nearest city	Ibanda
Coordinates	0°14′26″N 30°46′51″E / 0.24067°N 30.78094°E
Area	211 km2 (81 sq mi)
Established	1998
Governing body	Uganda Wildlife Authority

The Katonga Wildlife Reserve is a wildlife reserve in western Uganda, along the banks of the Katonga River. The reserve was established in 1998^[2] and has approximately 211 square kilometres (81 sq mi). Many of the species of plants and animals in the reserve are unique to its wetland environment. Additionally the grass species at Katonga Wildlife Reserve include star grass, Bermuda grass and Rhodes grass.

Katonga River

The reserve is named after the Katonga River, which primarily flows from the swamps southwest of Lake Wamala towards Lake Victoria in the east, with lesser periodic flows from those same swamps to Lake George in the west.

Location

The reserve is located in the Ibanda and Kamwenge Districts in western Uganda. In Kamwenge, it borders with the Biguli subcounty and part of the Mpara subcounty in Kyenjojo District. The reserve is approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi), by road, west of Kampala, Uganda's capital city. The coordinates of the wildlife reserve are 00 02N, 30 25E.

The signposted junction for Katonga is Kyegegwa, which lies on Fort Portal Road, 42 km west of Mubende. From there, a 40 km dirt road heads south to the entrance gate via Mparo and Kalwreni. Kalwreni lies 7 km from the entrance gate. It is also possible to approach Katonga from Kibale National Park via Kamwenge and Ibanda.^[3]

Vegetation

The vegetation of the reserve is mixed savannah with acacia scrubland or woodlands. A large portion of the reserve is either permanent or seasonal wetlands. There are also pockets of riverine and tropical forest.^[4]

Wildlife

There are over forty animal species and over 150 bird species within the reserve.^[5] The wildlife species within the reserve include:

The reserve is best explored on foot or by river canoe. The Uganda Wildlife Authority maintains a camping site with guides and a restaurant within the reserve.

References

^ Protected Planet. "Katonga Wildlife Reserve". United Nations Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Retrieved 27 Dec 2018.
^ "Refugee influx increasing human activities on Katonga wildlife reserve". The Independent. 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
^ Briggs, Philip; Roberts, Andrew (2020). Uganda: The Bradt Travel Guide (9th ed.). Bradt Travel Guides Ltd. p. 176. ISBN 9781784776428.
^ The vegetation of Katonga Wildlife Reserve Archived June 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
^ Fauna of Katonga Wildlife Reserve Archived November 15, 2009, at the Wayback Machine

[wdpa-1] Protected Planet. "Katonga Wildlife Reserve". United Nations Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Retrieved 27 Dec 2018.

[2] "Refugee influx increasing human activities on Katonga wildlife reserve". The Independent. 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2023.

[3] Briggs, Philip; Roberts, Andrew (2020). Uganda: The Bradt Travel Guide (9th ed.). Bradt Travel Guides Ltd. p. 176. ISBN 9781784776428.

[4] The vegetation of Katonga Wildlife Reserve Archived June 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine

[5] Fauna of Katonga Wildlife Reserve Archived November 15, 2009, at the Wayback Machine

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v t e Protected areas of Uganda
National Parks	Bwindi Impenetrable Kibale Kidepo Valley Lake Mburo Mgahinga Gorilla Mount Elgon Murchison Falls Queen Elizabeth Rwenzori Mountains Semuliki
Wildlife reserves	Ajai Aswa-Lolim^d Bokora Corridor Bugungu Kabwoya Karuma Katonga Kigezi Kyambura Lomunga East Madi Matheniko Pian Upe Toro-Semliki
Central Forest Reserves	Bukaleba Bugamba Bujawe Gangu Gulu Ihimbo Itwara Kagombe Kalinzu Kapimpini Kasato Kasenyi Kashoya-Kitomi Kitechura Kyewaga Lutoboka Mafuga Mount Kei Mount Otzi Mpanga Muhunga Nakindiba Nyabiku Nyabyeya Rwensama Rwensambya Rwoho Wambabya
Controlled Hunting Areas	Buhuka Central Karamoja (Napak) North Karamoja South Karamoja Karuma Falls Katonga Lipan West Madi Sebei Semliki East Teso North Teso
Community wildlife management area	Amudat Iriri Kaiso Tonya Karenga Rwengara
Wildlife sanctuaries	Entebbe Jinja Kazinga Malawa Mount Kei Ngama Island Ntoroko-Kanara Nyaburogo Otze Forest UWEC Ziwa Rhino
Ramsar Wetlands of Int'l Importance	Lake Bisina Lake George Lake Mburo-Nakivali Lake Nabugabo Lake Nakuwa Lake Opeta Lutembe Bay Mabamba Bay Murchison Falls Nabajjuzi Rwenzori Mountains Sango Bay-Musambwa Island-Kagera Bay
Uganda Wildlife Authority National Environment Management Authority ^d indicates degazetted

v t e Ibanda District
Capital: Ibanda
Counties and sub-counties	Bisheshe sub-county Ibanda sub-county Ishongororo sub-county Kicuzi sub-county Kikyenkye sub-county Nyabuhikye sub-county Nyamarebe sub-county Rukiri sub-county
Towns and villages	Bihanga Ibanda Igorora Kitongore Kiburara Mitwebiri
Economy	Centenary Bank DFCU Bank Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited
Health	Uganda Martyrs' Hospital Ibanda
Transport	Mbarara–Ishaka Road Nyakahita–Kazo–Kamwenge–Fort Portal Road
Notable landmarks	Katonga River Katonga Wildlife Reserve
Education	Ibanda University St. George's Ibanda Core.Primary Training College
Notable people	Ndyakira Amooti John Byabagambi

v t e Kamwenge District
Capital: Kamwenge
Counties and sub-counties	Kibaale County Kibale East County
Towns and villages	Kamwenge Kahunge Ganyenda Nkongoro Kyabandara
Economy	Finance Trust Bank PostBank Uganda Centenary Bank
Transport	Nyakahita–Kazo–Kamwenge–Fort Portal Road
Notable landmarks	Kibaale National Park Katonga Wildlife Reserve Katonga River Lake George Kyambura Game Reserve Queen Elizabeth National Park River Mpanga River Rushango
Notable people	Frank Tumwebaze Abigaba Cuthbert Mirembe