Uganda Parks
By Ariadne van Zandbergen
Ariadne is a renowned Africa expert and frequently visits Uganda. She and her husband are a travel photography/writing team with many Africa guidebooks under their belt, including the Bradt guide to Uganda.
The park has arguably the most diverse fauna of any park in the country. It is particularly rich in predators, including lion, leopard and bat-eared fox. Black-backed and side-striped jackal are both present. There are large herds of buffalo. Twelve antelope species occur in the park, including Jackson's hartebeest, oribi, eland and klipspringer. One hundred Uganda kob were transferred into the park (from Murchison Falls) in 2017. There are plans to reintroduce white rhino in the future.
Wildlife Highlights
Kidepo is home to many animal species found nowhere else in the country, including cheetah, caracal, aardwolf, greater and lesser kudu, mountain reedbuck and Guenther's dik-dik. Although primarily a savannah reserve, five primate species are present, including the rare and localized patas monkey. The endangered Rothschild's giraffe is present with five young born in 2016.
Best Time for Wildlife Viewing
The best time for wildlife viewing is the middle and end of the Dry season (November to February) when animals concentrate around reliable water sources. During the Wet season (April to August) animals disperse from the valleys and move to higher ground, where they are more difficult to locate.
