My friend Kenneth Tumusiime works tirelessly to conserve the wild creatures and wild spaces of his beloved Uganda. Recognising the pressure being put on the local Shoebill population through disturbance from local fishermen, he has set up the Save the Shoebill Conservation Project (SSCP). A community centric project that depends on engagement with the human inhabitants of the area for its success.
The Shoebill
The Shoebill is a shy inhabitant of swamplands that occur in a belt of central tropical Africa, from southern Sudan through eastern Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, western Tanzania and northern Zambia. There is a significant population in the wetlands of Uganda including the Murchison Falls National Park.
It is a unique looking bird, tall, long legged with a huge, broad, boat-shaped bill. And like all specialists, it is very susceptible to disturbance and habitat degradation. The plumage is blue/grey, the wings broad and long. It is, in short, an impressive creature.
The Shoebill usually forages solitary in flooded shallow waters dominated by hippo grass, African wild rice, sedges and rushes, within 50 metres of an active fish weir. It usually flies past a candidate site, or perches on the tallest tree, to observe the activity in the candidate’s site before commencing to hunt. Hunting consists of stalking, squatting and ambush, however Shoebills tend to stand and wait for the prey, often for long periods, and thus require relatively undisturbed habitat.
The Shoebill’s principal prey is fish, while other swamp prey is also taken, including frogs, snakes, rodents, baby crocodiles and other birds. The Shoebill’s preferred fishing sites are in either shallow waters, or deeper water with platforms of flooding vegetation. It will feed in swamps that are low in oxygen where an abundance of fish such as lungfish, bichirs (polypteridae) and catfish are important prey, caught as they surface to gulp air.
SSCP Aims and Objectives
The SSCP is a voluntary, non-governmental, non-political, Eco-tourism conservation project, aimed at building community mindfulness about the importance of Shoebills and other wetland birds around Murchison Falls National Park. It aims to raise awareness of the importance and value of the local Shoebill population and to conserve its habitat. The broader outcomes are 1) to have a sustainable, healthy Shoebill population, 2) monitor, research and conserve Shoebill habitat, and 3) save the areas precious wetlands.
As with all Kenneth’s projects, community engagement and involvement is a cornerstone to success. His objective of sustaining the recovery of the Shoebill population of Murchison Falls National Park, depends on involving local communities in the environment conservation protection programs. Some of this work will involve determining the effectiveness of conservation measures through monitoring and research projects. Shoebills play an important part in attracting tourist revenue into local communities, so all concerned have a stake in ensuring the birds thrive.
Murchison Falls-Albert Delta Wetland System
The site stretches from the top of Murchison Falls to the delta at its confluence with Lake Albert. The delta forms a shallow area that is important for water birds, especially the Shoebill, pelicans, darters, Papyrus Gonolek and various heron species. It is also an important spawning and breeding ground for Lake Albert fisheries, containing indigenous fish species, and it forms a feeding and watering refuge for wildlife during dry seasons.
The shoebill population in this area is estimated at 30-60 individuals, the majority of which live in papyrus. This place has been classified as vulnerable, with the main threats being disturbance by fishermen, forcing the birds to hide deeply in un-disturbed papyrus.
How You Can Help
It has been a difficult year for us all (2020), but for the communities around Murchison Falls it has been particularly challenging. As well as suffering steep declines in the income derived from the tourist industry, a sector that underpins all of the local conservation projects, there has been severe flooding around Wanseko at Lake Albert. Many people lost their properties and are now homeless. Kenneth has issued a plea “Please I call upon all well wishers to come in and help these people. Life here is very hard for them. Any kind support in the form of food or clothes or other essential supplies will be highly appreciated“.
Conservation in this area can only be successful with the engagement of the local communities. When they cannot feed themselves and have no homes, they will be forced to revert to poaching etc. Quite understandably, wildlife conservation is forced down the list of priorities. If you feel you would like to help, please contact me in the first instance by commenting in the box below, and I will liaise with Kenneth on your behalf. Thank you.
2022 Update
The project is gaining momentum, and I’m very pleased to say WingSearch has been able to raise awareness and facilitate connections between interested people from around the world and SSCP (see comments below). Kenneth Tumusiime, the project’s CEO, and his team, have now produced a 5 year strategic plan which can be accessed by clicking the button below. There you will find much interesting background information, details of the ecology and specific needs of the Shoebill, plans for outreach and education, community based tourism and much more. Thank you for your interest and support to date, and if you need more information please get in touch via the comments below.
You can access the SSCP Facebook page to follow progress by clicking here.
All Images courtesy of Kenneth Tumusiime
Could you please put me in touch with Kenneth? I’d like to develop a US 501c3 to help support this work in Uganda through fundraising in the US.
Hi Virginia, certainly I will. I’ll send your details to him and he will be in touch soon.
Hi – just wanted to share that there is now a US 501(c)(3) devoted to helping Save the Shoebill and funding the shoebill conservation project mentioned here; contributions are tax-deductible. http://www.saveshoebill.org
That’s great news Virginia, many thanks for all your efforts.
Where can we donate or buy some cool shoebill merch to support? People on amazon and elsewhere sell shirts and stuff. You guys should do that to raise money. My nephew wants a stuffed shoebill. Realistic one, for example. Thank you!!! Shoebills rock.
Hi Amanda, I’ve passed your comment to the CEO of the campaign. Thanks for your interest in this brilliant project.
It is a pleasure to recognize the Financial contribution partnership from Reena Newnan that she has offered to support SSCP work.
Thank you in advance for your tremendous conservation effort in donating/funding this valuable project that will be useful in saving shoebill conservation status in Uganda we very much appreciate it. we do treasure this financial support Reena and we are now seeing a very great impact with community involvement and response in collaboratively working together with an inspirational call and challenge to improve on the quality of nature by enabling all people neighboring Shoebill habitat do more in an environmentally sustainable manner, live better and conserve biodiversity!
We are very grateful. It is a pleasure to recognize this contribution partnership that Andree Robinson-Neal has so far been offering to SSCP. Thank you in advance for your tremendous conservation effort in donating/funding this valuable project that will be useful in saving shoebill conservation status in Uganda. May God bless the work of your hands abundantly as you donate towards protecting God’s creation. We all have an inspiring call and challenge to improve on the quality of nature by enabling people to do more in an environmentally sustainable manner, live better and conserve biodiversity.
Hi, please contact me. I’m in Australia but I would like to help.
Hi Reena, many thanks for your message. I’ve passed your details to the project manager who will be in touch with you soon.
It is a pleasure to recognize the Financial contribution partnership that you have offered to support SSCP work. Thank you in advance for your tremendous conservation effort in donating/funding this valuable project that will be useful in saving shoebill conservation status in Uganda. we do treasure this financial support Reena and we are now seeing a very great impact with community involvement With an inspiring call and challenge to improve on the quality of nature by enabling people to do more in an environmentally sustainable manner, live better and conserve biodiversity
Hello: I have been looking for an organization dedicated to preserving the Shoebill to support. Please contact me as well!
Hi Andree, i will pass your details on. thanks for getting in touch
Hello,
I have been looking for an organization that has experience in shoe bill stork breeding and conservation.
Please contact me, i need help.
Hi Barbara, I’ve passed your details onto the project officer.
Hello, Please email me, I would like to support this Cause! I love the Shoebill Stork!
Hi Ryan, thanks for getting in touch. I’ve passed your details to the project manager in Uganda and asked him to contact you direct. All the best.
Agood project for the well being of nature and its purity
thank you, it is indeed. I’ll try and include an update as time goes by.
As we are Launching our Save Shoebill Conservation Project offices Just Near the River Nile Adjacent to Murchison Falls National Park come February 2021. We are also aiming at engaging people of all ages in learning about birds and protecting Uganda’s nature. Please I call upon our leaders in Buliisa to put Politics aside to save our Natural beauty. The country has varied environments where you can go birding in savannah grasslands, swamps and wetlands needs to be saved, you can even see a good number of birds On a single birding safari through Uganda, you can see over 600 birds – this is terrific! One of the best places on earth to see birds and a lot more. Uganda being the Pearl of Africa makes it an ideal place to be close nature and if you love birds, why don’t you go on a birding Come Support us. Great thanks to Barry Madden & Allan Archer for letting the world get to know about this conservation Initiative effort to save Nature!!!
Lovely article and fabulous photos. Will speech to you about this when I see you.
Thanks Elizabeth.