Katonga Wildlife Reserve


The Katonga Wildlife Reserve is a wildlife reserve in western Uganda, along the banks of the Katonga River. The reserve was established in 1998 and has approximately. Many of the species of plants and animals in the reserve are unique to its wetland environment.

Katonga River

The reserve is named after the Katonga River, which primarily flows from the swamps southwest of Lake Wamala towards Lake Victoria in the east, with lesser periodic flows from those same swamps to Lake George in the west.

Location

The reserve is located in the Ibanda and Kamwenge Districts in western Uganda. In Kamwenge, it borders with the Biguli subcounty and part of the Mpara subcounty in Kyenjojo District. The reserve is approximately, by road, west of Kampala, Uganda's capital city. The coordinates of the wildlife reserve are 00 02N, 30 25E.

Vegetation

The vegetation of the reserve is mixed savannah with acacia scrubland or woodlands. A large portion of the reserve is either permanent or seasonal wetlands. There are also pockets of riverine and tropical forest.

Wildlife

There are over forty animal species and over 150 bird species within the reserve. The wildlife species within the reserve include:
The reserve is best explored on foot or by river canoe. The Uganda Wildlife Authority maintains a camping site with guides and a restaurant within the reserve.