Visit Pian Upe, Matheniko, Bokora Wildlife Game Reserves In Uganda

Pian upe wildlife game reserve is the best conservation protected area in Uganda after Murchison falls conservation which is about 2788 kilometers to the northeast of mountain Elgon. Pain Upe wildlife game reserve is protected by Mountain Elgon Conservation areas. In the 1960s is when Pian Upe Wildlife game reserve with Bakora wildlife reserve and Matheniko game reserve that found in between Mountain Elgon national park and Kidepo valley national park was established.

This Game Reserve is in a semi-arid country that normally receives its rainfall between April-June up to early September but it may fail to rain all year round.

The game reserve is surrounded by wooded grassland and it is home to two pastoralist tribes including the pain where its name comes from. The pian that are known as Karamojong, and the Upe which is among the Kalenjin speaking people and they are called the Pakot in Kenya and Uganda. There was much wildlife but some of them were poached during the Idi Amin era between the 1970s and 1980s. With a purpose to restore it to the former glory. In the recent past, the reserve is mostly unexplored as a natural habitat to the unique wildlife such as the eland, cheetahs, Roan Antelope, the greater Kudu, and countless unique bird species including ostriches.

The Debasien Animal Sanctuary which was found in southern parts was gazetted as a reserve in 1958. The government wanted to convert land in the south of the Greek River for agriculture however the area was expanded northward and renamed as Pian-Upe Game Reserve in 1964.

Plants

The area is covered by wooded grassland and undisturbed grassland. Small areas around the banks of the river are also covered by woodland. Some land is cultivated, and the area near the Greek River is threatened by conversion.

Pian Upe Game Reserve Wildlife

Pian Upe wildlife reserve is the best place with fauna in Uganda and they are over 44 mammal species, many of them are found in Uganda restricted to Pian Upe and Karamoja Sub-region. The game reserve also hosts over 242 bird species which are confirmed and 11 that are not yet confirmed including the ostrich.

Pian Upe Game Reserve is also a home for hyena, zebra, Lions, Leopard, cheetah, buffalo, eland, Harte beast, greater kudu, orib, dik-dik, topi, and rarely roam antelope. There are also vervet monkeys, olive baboons, and the black-backed as well as the jackals.

Desert date and red acacia are the major tree species in the game reserve. There are also red spike-thorns, Harrisonia abyssinica, and bush willows.  Shrubs include butterfly pea and wooly caper bush.

The community at Pian Upe Game Reserve

Pian Upe is home to two pastoralist tribes including the pain where its name comes from. The pian is known as the Karamojong, and the Upe which is among the Kalenjin speaking people, and they are called the Pakot in Kenya and Uganda. These two tribes have conflict which is related to cattle rustling. Sometimes the Pian and the Upe were used to make one team to fight neighboring tribes in Uganda or Kenya and they also have their own on and off conflicts.

Compliment visit to the eastern part of Uganda, and go in western sides for gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and get a chance to explore more about these shy primates.