Semliki National Park, Uganda

Site Details

Assessment Details

Site Overview

KBA status: confirmed

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) KBA identified in the process of compiling the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the East Afromontane Hotspot. Species taxonomy and threat category was based on IUCN Red List 2010-4.

Global KBA criteria:

Year of assessment: 2011

National site name: Semliki National Park

Central coordinates: Lat: 0.83 Long: 30.06

System: Terrestrial, Freshwater

Altitude (m): 670 to 760

Area of KBA (ha): 21,795

Protected area coverage (%): 96

Text account

Year of compilation: 2001

Site description:

This park, sometimes referred to as Bwamba forest, lies in the Albertine Rift Valley, north-west of the Rwenzori mountains, bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Lamia and Semliki rivers bound the park to the west and north, and the Fort Portal–Bundibugyo road forms part of its boundary to the south. The Park is contiguous with the DRC’s Virunga National Park (IBA CD010) and with the small North Rwenzori Forest Reserve in Uganda. Much of its flat to gently undulating landscape is poorly drained and floods during rainy seasons. Much of the park (c.19,500 ha) is covered by forest, which is classified as moist semi-deciduous and which is dominated over large areas by a single tree species, Cynometra alexandrii. Swamp-forest communities occupy about 7% of the area, dominated by Mitragyna, oil-palm Elaeis and Ficus. The breakdown of law and order in the 1970s and early 1980s resulted in about 30% of the original forest cover being cleared for agriculture and settlement. However, the encroachers were evicted in 1988 and 1990, and the forest is now slowly regenerating.The Semliki forest is cut off from the rest of East Africa by the natural barrier of the Rwenzori massif. Its forests represent an easterly extension of the great Ituri forest of north-eastern DRC and its flora and fauna show strong affinities with the Congo-Basin forests. There are also strong affinities between the people and cultures of Bwamba and those of neighbouring DRC.

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA:

Semliki National Park was gazetted as Semliki Forest Reserve in 1932 and formally gazetted as a National Park in 1993. Conservation efforts have faced a number of obstacles that largely relate to the conflict over land-use by local communities who desire to utilize the park resources as they have done traditionally. This has resulted in agricultural encroachment, poaching, illegal removal of forest products and hostility by the local community. Involving the local people in decision-making is a major objective of current management, supported by an IUCN project. The high population density in Bwamba county (300 people/km², increasing at 3.4% per annum) poses a big problem for the future, with people saying that they need more land for cultivation.

Habitats

IUCN Habitat	Coverage level	Coverage %
1. Forest	-	81-90%
14. Artificial - Terrestrial	-	21-30%
18. Unknown	-	61-70%

Threats

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing	Scope	Severity	Impact
2 Agriculture & aquaculture	2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops	2.1.2 Small-holder farming	Ongoing	Affects the minority of the population (<50%)	Causing or likely to cause negligible declines	Low
2 Agriculture & aquaculture	2.3 Livestock farming & ranching	2.3.2 Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Ongoing	Affects the minority of the population (<50%)	Causing or likely to cause negligible declines	Low
5 Biological resource use	5.2 Gathering terrestrial plants	5.2.2 Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target)	Ongoing	Affects the minority of the population (<50%)	Causing or likely to cause negligible declines	Low
5 Biological resource use	5.3 Logging & wood harvesting	5.3.3 Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]	Ongoing	Affects the minority of the population (<50%)	Causing or likely to cause negligible declines	Low
7 Natural system modifications	7.1 Fire & fire suppression	7.1.1 Increase in fire frequency/intensity	Ongoing	Affects the minority of the population (<50%)	Causing or likely to cause negligible declines	Low

Biodiversity elements triggering KBA criteria

Taxonomic Group	Scientific name	Common name	IUCN Red List Category	Legacy Criteria
Birds	Accipiter castanilius	Chestnut-flanked Sparrowhawk		Y
Birds	Accipiter erythropus	Red-legged Sparrowhawk		Y
Birds	Agapornis swindernianus	Black-collared Lovebird		Y
Birds	Alcedo leucogaster	White-bellied Kingfisher		Y
Birds	Alethe diademata	White-tailed Alethe		Y
Birds	Andropadus curvirostris	Plain Greenbul		Y
Birds	Andropadus gracilis	Grey Greenbul		Y
Birds	Anthreptes fraseri	Scarlet-tufted Sunbird		Y
Birds	Anthreptes rectirostris	Green Sunbird		Y
Birds	Apalis rufogularis	Buff-throated Apalis		Y
Birds	Baeopogon indicator	Honeyguide Greenbul		Y
Birds	Batis ituriensis	Ituri Batis		Y
Birds	Bleda notatus	Lesser Bristlebill		Y
Birds	Bleda syndactylus	Common Bristlebill		Y
Birds	Bostrychia rara	Spot-breasted Ibis		Y
Birds	Buccanodon duchaillui	Yellow-spotted Barbet		Y
Birds	Bycanistes cylindricus	Brown-cheeked Hornbill		Y
Birds	Bycanistes fistulator	Piping Hornbill		Y
Birds	Bycanistes subcylindricus	Grey-cheeked Hornbill		Y
Birds	Camaroptera chloronota	Olive-green Camaroptera		Y
Birds	Camaroptera superciliaris	Yellow-browed Camaroptera		Y
Birds	Campethera caroli	Brown-eared Woodpecker		Y
Birds	Campethera nivosa	Buff-spotted Woodpecker		Y
Birds	Caprimulgus batesi	Bates's Nightjar		Y
Birds	Caprimulgus nigriscapularis	Black-shouldered Nightjar		Y
Birds	Ceratogymna atrata	Black-casqued Hornbill		Y
Birds	Cercococcyx mechowi	Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo		Y
Birds	Cercococcyx olivinus	Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo		Y
Birds	Ceyx lecontei	African Dwarf-kingfisher		Y
Birds	Chlorocichla simplex	Simple Greenbul		Y
Birds	Chrysococcyx flavigularis	Yellow-throated Cuckoo		Y
Birds	Cisticola carruthersi	Carruthers's Cisticola		Y
Birds	Columba albinucha	White-naped Pigeon		Y
Birds	Columba unicincta	Afep Pigeon		Y
Birds	Cossypha cyanocampter	Blue-shouldered Robin-chat		Y
Birds	Criniger calurus	Red-tailed Bulbul		Y
Birds	Criniger chloronotus	Green-backed Bulbul		Y
Birds	Dryoscopus senegalensis	Red-eyed Puffback		Y
Birds	Elminia nigromitrata	Dusky Crested-flycatcher		Y
Birds	Eremomela badiceps	Rufous-crowned Eremomela		Y
Birds	Erythrocercus mccallii	Chestnut-capped Flycatcher		Y
Birds	Erythropygia leucosticta	Forest Scrub-robin		Y
Birds	Eurystomus gularis	Blue-throated Roller		Y
Birds	Francolinus lathami	Forest Francolin		Y
Birds	Francolinus nahani	Nahan's Partridge		Y
Birds	Gallinago media	Great Snipe		Y
Birds	Glaucidium castaneum	Chestnut Owlet		Y
Birds	Glaucidium tephronotum	Red-chested Owlet		Y
Birds	Halcyon badia	Chocolate-backed Kingfisher		Y
Birds	Himantornis haematopus	Nkulengu Rail		Y
Birds	Hirundo nigrita	White-throated Blue Swallow		Y
Birds	Hylia prasina	Green Hylia		Y
Birds	Illadopsis albipectus	Scaly-breasted Illadopsis		Y
Birds	Illadopsis fulvescens	Brown Illadopsis		Y
Birds	Indicator maculatus	Spotted Honeyguide		Y
Birds	Indicator willcocksi	Willcocks's Honeyguide		Y
Birds	Lamprotornis purpureiceps	Purple-headed Glossy-starling		Y
Birds	Laniarius leucorhynchus	Sooty Boubou		Y
Birds	Laniarius mufumbiri	Papyrus Gonolek		Y
Birds	Macrosphenus concolor	Grey Longbill		Y
Birds	Macrosphenus flavicans	Yellow Longbill		Y
Birds	Malaconotus cruentus	Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike		Y
Birds	Malimbus erythrogaster	Red-bellied Malimbe		Y
Birds	Malimbus malimbicus	Crested Malimbe		Y
Birds	Malimbus nitens	Gray's Malimbe		Y
Birds	Malimbus rubricollis	Red-headed Malimbe		Y
Birds	Megabyas flammulatus	African Shrike-flycatcher		Y
Birds	Melichneutes robustus	Lyre-tailed Honeyguide		Y
Birds	Merops gularis	Black Bee-eater		Y
Birds	Muscicapa cassini	Cassin's Grey Flycatcher		Y
Birds	Muscicapa comitata	Dusky-blue Flycatcher		Y
Birds	Muscicapa infuscata	Sooty Flycatcher		Y
Birds	Myioparus griseigularis	Grey-throated Tit-flycatcher		Y
Birds	Nectarinia cyanolaema	Blue-throated Brown Sunbird		Y
Birds	Nectarinia erythrocerca	Red-chested Sunbird		Y
Birds	Nectarinia minulla	Tiny Sunbird		Y
Birds	Nectarinia rubescens	Green-throated Sunbird		Y
Birds	Nectarinia seimundi	Little Green Sunbird		Y
Birds	Nectarinia superba	Superb Sunbird		Y
Birds	Neocossyphus poensis	White-tailed Ant-thrush		Y
Birds	Nesocharis ansorgei	White-collared Oliveback		Y
Birds	Nicator chloris	Yellow-spotted Nicator		Y
Birds	Nicator vireo	Yellow-throated Nicator		Y
Birds	Nigrita bicolor	Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch		Y
Birds	Nigrita fusconotus	White-breasted Negrofinch		Y
Birds	Nigrita luteifrons	Pale-fronted Negrofinch		Y
Birds	Onychognathus fulgidus	Chestnut-winged Starling		Y
Birds	Oriolus brachyrhynchus	Western Black-headed Oriole		Y
Birds	Oriolus nigripennis	Black-winged Oriole		Y
Birds	Parmoptila woodhousei	Woodhouse's Antpecker		Y
Birds	Phoeniculus castaneiceps	Forest Scimitarbill		Y
Birds	Phyllanthus atripennis	Capuchin Babbler		Y
Birds	Phyllastrephus albigularis	White-throated Greenbul		Y
Birds	Phyllastrephus hypochloris	Toro Olive Greenbul		Y
Birds	Phyllastrephus icterinus	Icterine Greenbul		Y
Birds	Phyllastrephus lorenzi		NR	Y
Birds	Phyllastrephus xavieri	Xavier's Greenbul		Y
Birds	Pitta reichenowi	Green-breasted Pitta		Y
Birds	Platysteira castanea	Chestnut Wattle-eye		Y
Birds	Platysteira jamesoni	Jameson's Wattle-eye		Y
Birds	Ploceus albinucha	Maxwell's Black Weaver		Y
Birds	Ploceus aurantius	Orange Weaver		Y
Birds	Ploceus nigerrimus	Vieillot's Black Weaver		Y
Birds	Ploceus tricolor	Yellow-mantled Weaver		Y
Birds	Poeoptera lugubris	Narrow-tailed Starling		Y
Birds	Pogoniulus atroflavus	Red-rumped Tinkerbird		Y
Birds	Pogoniulus scolopaceus	Speckled Tinkerbird		Y
Birds	Pogoniulus subsulphureus	Yellow-throated Tinkerbird		Y
Birds	Prionops caniceps	Chestnut-bellied Helmet-shrike		Y
Birds	Prodotiscus insignis	Cassin's Honeybird		Y
Birds	Psittacus erithacus	Grey Parrot		Y
Birds	Pyrrhurus scandens	Leaf-love		Y
Birds	Rhaphidura sabini	Sabine's Spinetail		Y
Birds	Sarothrura pulchra	White-spotted Flufftail		Y
Birds	Sasia africana	African Piculet		Y
Birds	Sheppardia cyornithopsis	Lowland Akalat		Y
Birds	Smithornis rufolateralis	Rufous-sided Broadbill		Y
Birds	Spermophaga poliogenys	Grant's Bluebill		Y
Birds	Stiphrornis erythrothorax	Forest Robin		Y
Birds	Stizorhina fraseri	Rufous Flycatcher-thrush		Y
Birds	Sylvietta denti	Lemon-bellied Crombec		Y
Birds	Sylvietta virens	Green Crombec		Y
Birds	Terpsiphone rufiventer			Y
Birds	Thescelocichla leucopleura	Swamp Greenbul		Y
Birds	Thripias xantholophus	Yellow-crested Woodpecker		Y
Birds	Tockus camurus	Dwarf Hornbill		Y
Birds	Tockus fasciatus	African Pied Hornbill		Y
Birds	Tockus hartlaubi	Black Dwarf Hornbill		Y
Birds	Trachyphonus purpuratus	Yellow-billed Barbet		Y
Birds	Tricholaema hirsuta	Hairy-breasted Barbet		Y
Birds	Trochocercus nitens	Blue-headed Crested-flycatcher		Y
Birds	Tropicranus albocristatus	White-crested Hornbill		Y
Birds	Urotriorchis macrourus	Long-tailed Hawk		Y
Birds	Zoothera oberlaenderi	Forest Ground-thrush		Y
Birds	Zoothera princei	Grey Ground-thrush		Y
Mammals	Crocidura tarella	Tarella Shrew		Y
Mammals	Loxodonta africana	African Elephant		Y
Mammals	Pan troglodytes	Chimpanzee		Y
Reptiles	Osteolaemus tetraspis	African Dwarf Crocodile		Y

Recommended citation

Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership (2023) Key Biodiversity Areas factsheet: Semliki National Park. Extracted from the World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas. Developed by the Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership: BirdLife International, IUCN, American Bird Conservancy, Amphibian Survival Alliance, Conservation International, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Global Environment Facility, Re:wild, NatureServe, Rainforest Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, World Wildlife Fund and Wildlife Conservation Society. Downloaded from http://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/ on 29/11/2023.