By KT Reporter
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has officially assumed full management of the wildlife canine unit, marking a milestone in the fight against illegal trade in wildlife products. The takeover follows nine years of partnership with the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and other conservation groups. Established in 2016, the canine program has become one of the most effective enforcement tools against trafficking in ivory, pangolin scales, and other contraband.
The unit currently has 10 specially trained detection dogs stationed at Entebbe International Airport and Karuma checkpoint. The dogs have intercepted illegal consignments, disrupted organized crime networks, and deterred traffickers from using Uganda as a transit route. “The success of this program is not in the number of arrests but in the deterrent it provides,” said AWF Chief Executive Officer Kaddu Sebunya during the handover ceremony in Entebbe. “Every day the dogs go out and find nothing illegal, that is true progress; it means traffickers are being discouraged.” He added that the canine unit was born out of necessity.
Between 2011 and 2013, Uganda was identified among the “gang of eight” nations most implicated in global wildlife smuggling, with shipments of Ugandan origin seized in Dubai, Nairobi, and Asia. To confront the crisis, UWA partnered with AWF, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the U.S. State Department to establish a canine unit capable of detecting wildlife products hidden in luggage, vehicles, and cargo. Since then, seizures have dropped as enforcement capacity improved and the visible presence of dogs discouraged traffickers.
Sebunya noted that from the beginning, investment was made not only in dogs but also in infrastructure and people. “Modern kennels, veterinary facilities, and handler accommodations were built, while Ugandan handlers received intensive training to operate the program to international standards,” he said. Imelda Imetur, the warden in charge of the canine unit, described the impact as transformative.
“Our dogs are 80 percent effective in operations, while handlers provide the rest through intelligence and inspections. In the early days, we could make five arrests a day at the airport. Today, sometimes we go weeks without a single case—proof that traffickers are avoiding Uganda altogether,” she said. The program also includes tracking dogs deployed inside national parks to follow poachers’ scent trails.
These have been crucial in preventing poaching incidents and supporting ranger patrols. UWA has created permanent positions for handlers, integrated canine operations into its law enforcement structure, and allocated funding for upkeep. Charles Tumwesigye, UWA’s Director of Field Operations, described the handover as proof of sustainability. “Any program without a sustainability plan is bound to fail. This handover shows Uganda has the manpower, resources, and commitment to carry the canine program forward,” he said.
As part of the transition, AWF donated three additional detection dogs to strengthen the unit’s capacity. The canine program is part of broader conservation initiatives pioneered in partnership with AWF, including the country’s first community conservancies outside protected areas, which have reduced human–wildlife conflict while generating tourism income.
Conservation education has also been strengthened through Classroom Africa, which builds schools and nurtures future wildlife champions. Investments in ranger posts and monitoring facilities have improved enforcement across national parks. “This is about Africa taking ownership of its future. When we build our own capacity, the survival of our wildlife is secure,” said Sebunya.
According to AWF, Uganda’s canine program has inspired similar initiatives across Africa. At Bole International Airport in Ethiopia, for instance, detection dogs inspect tens of thousands of pieces of luggage weekly. The model has also been replicated in Kenya and Mozambique. “Uganda has shown that with the right partnerships and commitment, we can reverse our reputation from being a trafficking hub to a leader in wildlife enforcement,” Sebunya noted.
Despite the progress, conservationists caution that demand for ivory, pangolin scales, and other products remains high in foreign markets. Long-term success will depend not only on strong enforcement but also on global efforts to reduce demand and dismantle trafficking networks. “Let this achievement remind us that conservation succeeds when Africans lead,” Tumwesigye concluded. “Our wildlife is our heritage, and with initiatives like the canine unit, we are proving it can be protected.”
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
