Murchison Falls National Park is Dying: AFIEGO Research Exposes Critical Threat

Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s prime attraction, is in big trouble. The park, which once teemed with a variety of different animals, is under serious threat due to the ongoing oil drilling activities that started in June 2023. Recent research findings paint a dark future for the park if nothing urgent is done.

The Tilenga oil project, run by TotalEnergies, has brought industrial activity into this pristine wilderness. Drilling rigs, well pads, and new roads are fast changing the landscape. At what cost?

The research by AFIEGO Uganda indicates that elephants are distressed by constant vibrations caused by drilling and have been abandoning their natural habitats. This has led to tragic conflicts between humans and displaced elephants in adjacent communities. In total, between 2023 and April 2024, five people died as a result of encounters with elephants.

Elephants aren’t the only ones affected though. Nocturnal wildlife is being threatened by extreme light pollution from drilling rigs whose light can be seen up to about 13.4 kilometres away. Conservationists and other stakeholders worry that leopards, lions, and various bird species could experience disrupted feeding patterns and potential displacement.

The Murchison Falls-Albert Delta Ramsar Site is in a possibly more disconcerting situation. This wetland, which is of international importance and has been designated a Key Bird Area, has two well pads that are alarmingly close to it, putting rare species, such as the vulnerable Shoebill and fish spawning grounds, at risk. Worth noting is that the wetland has been proposed for UNESCO World Heritage Status.

Climate change and poaching exacerbate the impact of such problems. Aerial surveys and respondents that participated in the aforementioned research by AFIEGO reported that hippos, crocodiles, and other iconic species have decreased greatly compared to before oil activities and catastrophic climate change impacts. As one participant starkly put it, “Murchison Falls National Park is dying.”

Therefore, the Ugandan government and the international community must act immediately. The Ugandan government must cancel the licenses that allow oil drilling in the park.  The UN Ramsar Secretariat and UNESCO World Heritage Committee should engage with the Ugandan government to stop these activities. In addition, we call on development partners to support Uganda’s pursuit of sustainable alternatives like eco-tourism and organic agriculture.

There is little time left for Murchison Falls National Park. We should not sit still while this natural wonder is sacrificed for short-term gains and benefit a few people at the expense of the majority of Ugandans. We must all unite and secure this irreplaceable ecosystem for our descendants.

This research by AFIEGO is quite timely because Standard Bank was recently reported as having agreed to fund this controversial project, which it had postponed for years in the name of doing due diligence. How did their due diligence miss these impacts? We urge them and other financial institutions to read this research, reconsider funding this project, and save the iconic Murchison Falls National Park. The fate of Uganda’s wildlife and the millions earning a livelihood from wildlife conservation efforts and fishing hangs in the balance.