This is another way of watching lions in the Kasenyi plains of Queen Elizabeth national park, besides the usual game drives. It is more less a research about these predators in the area. Radio collars have been placed in necks of lions to easily monitor their movement from moving to farer areas of the neighboring communities. The researcher uses a radiation tracker to find lions with radio collars. You therefore move with a researcher allocated by Uganda Carnivore Project who helps you to be able to find where these lions are. Trackers drive closer to the lions and the researcher will tell you different things about the behaviors of these lions.
This activity is also done in the morning (8am) and evening like the usual game drive but you must be guided by a researcher. Duration for lion tracking experience is 1-3 hours, searching for the location of the lions, learning about their behaviors and viewing them. Unlike the usual game drive, lion tracking is limited to few people and therefore you need to book for this activity early if you want to go for it. The number of people is limited so that the peace of animals is not interfered with and to enable the researcher carry on his work well. It also enables the participants to enjoy the experience by viewing well and taking clear photos of the lions.
When tracking for the lions, don’t expect to find radio collars of all members of the entire pride. It’s only a few of the members that possess the radio collars and since they often move and stay in the groups, you’ll be able to see more of the members of their pride. In Uganda, lion tracking is done only in queen Elizabeth national park.
This form of monitoring and research has been of importance because it is through it that the pride of 11 lions that had been killed in one of the neighboring communities known as Hamukungu was found. Monitoring and being familiar about their habits will therefore help to keep them in harmony with the communities as they are also taught about the best way to continue living close to these animals in harmony.
The main purpose for this activity as earlier said is for monitoring and research of the lions of Queen Elizabeth national park due to their regular movement to the adjacent communities which often results into conflicts between the animals and local people. Therefore, it is okay to involve a few people in this research as more is learnt about the habits of these lions. 10% of the payment of tourists is paid to the Uganda Carnivores’ Project to contribute towards conservation.
As trekkers enjoy a close interaction with gorillas and chimps during the habituation experience with researchers in Bwindi and Kibale national parks, you can choose to have a close look at and learn about the habits of the lions of Queen Elizabeth national park in Kasenyi plains when you come for your wildlife safari. When with the researcher, you are permitted to drive off the trucks and move to the location of lions unlike when doing a usual game drive where travelers are given a penalty if they go off the tracks. This is one of the most thrilling experiences of wildlife in this park. You can consult us about booking for the experience when making your booking with us and we shall surely organize for it through Uganda Wildlife Authority and a space will be confirmed for you on an appropriate day of your travel.