Lake Mburo National Park sits in western Uganda, bordered by communities that have lived with wildlife for generations.
The park measures 370 square kilometers and supports populations of zebra, impala, buffalo, hippopotamus, and leopard. These species regularly move beyond the park boundary, into crop fields and grazing corridors.
Most residents in the surrounding districts (Kiruhura, Isingiro, and Lyantonde) depend on mixed farming.
Pastoralism dominates, though smallholder agriculture plays a vital role in household income.
The proximity of human settlements to the park boundary has made interaction between people and wildlife a daily reality rather than a remote concern.
Conflict typically arises when wildlife feeds on or damages crops, preys on livestock, or poses a threat to human safety.
In response, communities employ various strategies: nighttime guarding, noise deterrents, fencing, and, sometimes, retaliation.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority has introduced community programmes in the area, but challenges persist.
Land-use, Wildlife, and Communities
Lake Mburo National Park lies between 0.35°S and 30.95°E, spanning parts of Kiruhura and Isingiro districts.
It is Uganda’s smallest savannah park, but it holds significant conservation value. The terrain comprises savannah grasslands interspersed with acacia woodland, rocky outcrops, and seasonal wetlands.
The region falls within the rain shadow of the Lake Victoria basin, receiving between 800 and 1000 millimetres of rainfall annually, often in two short rainy seasons.
Communities bordering the park depend heavily on land for survival. Semi-nomadic pastoralism defines the area, especially among Bahima households, where cattle keeping remains central to identity and income.
Crop farming, though secondary, is steadily increasing, particularly maize, beans, and cassava. Settlements have grown closer to park boundaries over the past decade, partly due to population pressure and reduced access to traditional grazing reserves.
Communal grazing lands have diminished, and land fragmentation through private acquisition has disrupted seasonal migration routes.
In places like Rurambira parish and Akatengere village, farmland now reaches the edge of wildlife corridors. Some parcels abut the park fence directly, creating a situation where wildlife movement almost guarantees crop intrusion.
Wildlife Distribution and Movement Patterns
Lake Mburo supports over 68 mammal species, among them eland, topi, hyena, hippo, and leopard. Buffalo and zebra are particularly frequent outside park boundaries.
Species such as warthogs and bush pigs exploit cultivated areas at night. According to community accounts in Sanga sub-county, hippos have trampled over two hectares of maize in a single night.
The absence of a physical barrier along large stretches of the park boundary allows wildlife to move freely.
Seasonal migration patterns have shifted slightly, with some species remaining closer to farms during dry months in search of water or salt licks.
Why Conflict Emerges in this Setting
Conflict arises not due to isolated incidents but because the spatial overlap between wildlife and human livelihoods has become permanent.
Farms exist in dispersal zones. Cattle drink from the same wetlands used by buffalo. Elephants are not present in this park, but other bulk grazers create pressure on the shared pasture.
These overlaps are legal and institutional as well. Boundaries, though gazetted, remain contested in some community narratives.
Some residents view the park as a historical encroachment on ancestral grazing areas. Others question the benefit of conservation when damage costs are personal and compensation is minimal or non-existent.
The conditions around Lake Mburo make conflict an everyday expectation.
The following section unpacks how these conditions translate into concrete, measurable forms of conflict for the households living here.
Forms of Conflict
Crop Raiding
Crop raiding is the most frequent and visible conflict around Lake Mburo.
According to a 2024 field survey by the East African Nature Studies Organisation, nearly 68 percent of households within a five-kilometre radius of the park reported crop loss to wildlife.
The most affected crops include maize, sorghum, beans, and sweet potatoes.
Hippos and bush pigs are the main culprits.
They move from lakeshores into fields at night, feeding extensively and trampling the remainder.
In Rwabarata village, farmers reported losses of up to 76 percent of their maize yields during the peak dry seasons.
Baboons and vervet monkeys add further pressure, often raiding during the day and making guarding a continuous effort.
Many households have resorted to night vigils, using drums, kerosene lamps, and thorn fences to deter wildlife.
These efforts, though time-intensive, remain only partially effective. The persistent nature of crop raiding has eroded household food security and increased community fatigue.
Livestock Predation
Predation is less frequent than crop raiding but often more emotionally charged.
Leopards, hyenas, and occasionally pythons prey on goats and young calves.
Buffaloes rarely attack livestock but compete for grazing areas and watering points, which limits access for herders.
Predation incidents rise during the dry season when prey density inside the park declines.
In Nyakashashara and Kanyaryeru sub-counties, local records show an average of five to ten livestock attacks per month between June and September.
Communities respond by constructing night enclosures using acacia branches or wire, though gaps remain in enforcement and design quality.
The economic implications extend beyond direct loss. Fear of night attacks restricts herding ranges, reducing pasture utilisation and increasing disease risk in overcrowded kraals.
Human Safety and Psychological Risk
Human-wildlife conflict around Lake Mburo has also manifested in direct encounters. Though fatalities are rare, injuries from hippo or buffalo attacks occur nearly every year.
Beyond physical harm lies a subtler dimension: persistent anxiety.
Parents restrict children from walking to school before sunrise; farmers avoid early morning fieldwork near water channels.
The sense of vulnerability shapes daily behaviour and weakens trust in park management systems.
These conflicts represent the tangible interface between livelihoods and wildlife ecology.
Their recurrence confirms that the problem is both ecological and institutional.
The following section explores how these incidents influence community livelihoods and perceptions of conservation at Lake Mburo.
Impact on Community Livelihoods and Conservation Attitudes
Community members living near Lake Mburo experience quantifiable economic losses tied to wildlife. In Kiruhura district, households reported average annual crop losses of UGX 350,000 to UGX 800,000 between 2021 and 2023.
In livestock predation cases, replacement costs for calves or goats can exceed UGX 200,000 per incident.
Beyond loss of property, households invest considerable time guarding fields or repairing deterrent barriers. In Rurambira parish, some families allocate 6 to 8 hours each night to crop watching during peak harvest periods.
This reduces time for rest, schooling, and off-farm income generation.
Moreover, the risk of wildlife-related injuries affects access to water points and communal grazing areas. Some families avoid traditional grazing zones altogether, leading to overstocking in fenced areas and increased veterinary costs.
This has altered cattle market dynamics in places like Biharwe, where leaner cattle are increasingly common.
The continuous threat of wildlife intrusion erodes social stability. Disputes arise within families over who should perform the guarding duties.
Tensions emerge between crop farmers and pastoralists, mainly where livestock movements are blamed for attracting wildlife.
In Nyabushozi, elders reported that community meetings broke down due to unresolved conflicts in the management of disputes.
Psychologically, the stress of daily life affects planning, trust in local leadership, and children’s schooling. One mother in Akayanja noted that her children had missed class on over 15 occasions in a single term due to fear of hippos near the footpath.