History Of Kibale Forest/History Of Kibale National Park

Find out and learn about the History of Kibale Forest and the History of Kibale National Park

Visitors on Uganda safaris are always inquisitive about the history of Kibale National Park.  Well, there’s a lot of history to know about Kibale Forest national park!

This forest was first gazetted in 1932 as a crown forest area by the British. Besides protecting the lovely nature authenticity of Kibale, the British could also extract hardwood from this gorgeous forest. Furthermore, they used to collect wild coffee from the forest.

The British planted exotic trees (Eucalyptus, Cypress, and Pine) in areas where they had cut hardwood trees. This helped to maintain the increasing demand for firewood and poles, especially from the surrounding tea factories.

During the 1950s, the need for hardwood hiked and this was due to the construction of Kilembe Copper Mines in the Kasese district. Typically, hardwoods like Fagara and Mahogany were liked the most.

 In 1948, Kibale Forest was gazetted a forest reserve under British control that continued to cut down trees. However, they could plant exotic tree species in areas where they cut trees.

Up-Grade Of Kibale Forest Reserve Into A National Park

In 1993, Kibale Forest Reserve was upgraded into Kibale National Park to protect the great bio-diversity of this forest.

During the year 1994, the Uganda National Parks (UNP) took over this park and full control of all the conservation work in Kibale Forest.

Around 1996, a parastatal body in charge of Kibale and other Uganda parks merged with another organization called the Game Department of Uganda. This department was responsible for the management of:

• Game Reserves
• Sanctuaries and,
• Controlled Hunting Areas.

After merging, they formed the current Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

Since then, UWA took over the responsibility to consolidate and facilitate wildlife protection and management within Kibale Forest.

This great body (UWA) has tirelessly played a very big role in bringing back the authenticity of Kibale Forest National Park.

Note:

During the years of 1970s and early 80s, there was a high population increase and poor farming methods in areas close to the forest. This led to pressure on Kibale Forest.

Due to the government’s need to conserve Kibale Forest, approximately 13,000 people were evicted and relocated to the Kibaale district in 1992.

For Any Inquiries About Your Uganda Safaris In Kibale National Park, Just Feel Free To Email Our Responsive Team!

FAQs About The History Of Kibale National Park

1. When Did Chimpanzee Trekking In Kibale National Park Begin?

Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park has been done since 1993.

Uganda Chimpanzee safaris in Kibale typically take place in the Kanyanchu area on Kanyantale Chimpanzee Community. Normally, visitors have over a 90% chance of spotting chimps.

2. When Did Kibale Become A National Park?

Kibale National Park was gazetted as a national park in 1993. This was done to conserve the rich biodiversity of this forest. And among these includes high numbers of primates, birds, and unique tree species.

3. What To Know About Kibale National Park?

Kibale National Park covers about 766km² in western Uganda. The park is dubbed the Primate Capital of Africa due to its great concentration of primates incomparable to any park in Africa.

Kibale boasts 13 primate species counting over 1500 Chimpanzees and thus, making it the prime destination for Uganda Chimpanzee safaris. Over 370 bird species, 351 tree species, 250 kinds of butterflies, and about 70 mammals call Kibale home.