The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has completed a comprehensive veterinary health assessment of eighteen big cats at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) in Entebbe as part of ongoing efforts to safeguard animal welfare and strengthen conservation of wildlife under human care.
The exercise, conducted by UWA’s Veterinary Services and Ex-Situ Conservation team, covered 12 lions and six tigers.
The assessment involved a series of veterinary procedures designed to establish the health condition of the animals and identify any conditions requiring attention.
These included diagnostic sampling, blood tests, dental examinations, morphometric measurements and claw care.
Veterinary teams also treated conditions identified during the exercise.
UWA said routine health monitoring is an important part of managing wildlife populations in captivity, allowing veterinary teams to detect health concerns early, support disease prevention and maintain the welfare of individual animals.
The exercise also contributes to wider ex-situ conservation efforts.
According to UWA, maintaining healthy populations of wildlife under human care can support conservation programmes by preserving biological and genetic resources that may contribute to wildlife conservation in Uganda’s natural ecosystems.
The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe plays a role in wildlife education, conservation and the management of animals under human care.
UWA’s mandate includes the sustainable management and protection of Uganda’s wildlife both within and outside protected areas.
The authority continues to emphasise science-based wildlife management, disease surveillance and conservation interventions as part of its broader efforts to safeguard Uganda’s wildlife for future generations.
UWA said the latest assessment reinforces the importance of regular veterinary care in ensuring that animals under human care remain healthy while supporting Uganda’s broader conservation objectives.
