Kyambura Wildlife Reserve (7048)
Uganda, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2024
National site name: Kyambura Wildlife Reserve
Central coordinates: Latitude: -0.1200, Longitude: 30.1500
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 915 to 1110
Area of KBA (km2): 154.96598
Protected area coverage (%): 93.50
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Kyambura Wildlife Reserve (KWR) lies immediately south of Lake George (a Ramsar Site), and east of Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) where the Kazinga Channel leaves the lake, flowing towards Lake Edward. Although KWR has similar ecosystems to QENP, the natural barriers formed by the Kyambura Gorge and Kazinga Channel make it possible to manage the area as a separate entity. KWR serves as a buffer zone for the north-eastern part of QENP.There is no land connection between the reserve and the park, animals simply fording the Kyambura river where it is shallowest during the dry seasons to move between the protected areas. It ranges in altitude from 900-1,110 m a.s.l. The river gorge supports a high-canopy tropical forest which grades to a swamp-forest and papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) swamp near the river mouth. The eastern border follows Buhindagi river from Lake George, south-east to Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve (a moist semi-deciduous forest not presently included within the IBA) where the boundaries of the Forest and Wildlife Reserves abut. A road from the main Mbarara–Kasese highway runs up to Kashaka fish-landing site, bisecting the reserve.There are seven volcanic crater-lakes, both fresh and saline, in the reserve, the most significant of which are the saline Lakes Nshenyi, Bagusa and Maseche; Lakes Chibwera, Kinera, Kararo and Kyamwiga have fresh water.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site is a global KBA for its population of lesser flamingos (Phoeniconaias minor) that migrate here to feed most years. It could also be a global KBA for the Acuminate bush viper (Atheris acuminata) which is only known from this reserve but hasn't been seen for many years.
Manageability of the site: The site is managed by Uganda Wildlife Authority as a wildlife reserve and forms part of the larger Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area that includes Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kigezi willdife reserve.
Supersedes another site: Boundary submitted is the officially recognised boundary for the site by the Government of Uganda and differs slightly from the existing shapefile
Delineation rationale: The boundary of the site follows the legally gazetted boundary of the wildlife reserve as recognised by the Uganda Government
Habitats
Land use: Managed by Uganda Wildlife Authority for conservation.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 8 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 3 | |
| Forest | 68 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 12 | |
| Shrubland | 7 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Nomadic grazing | Ongoing |