Mount Otzi Forest Reserve (7063)
Uganda, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B1
Year of last assessment: 2024
National site name: Mount Otzi Forest Reserve
Central coordinates: Latitude: 3.7500, Longitude: 31.8300
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 760 to 1660
Protected area coverage (%): 98.13
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The 189 km2 Mount Otzi Forest Reserve is located on an escarpment overlooking the confluence of the Achwa river with the White Nile as it flows into Sudan. It is bounded to the north by the international border with Sudan. It ranges from 760 to 1660m altitude a.s.l. About half of the area can broadly be classified as a Butyrospermum wooded savanna, whilst most of the rest is Combretum savanna with undifferentiated semi-deciduous thicket. Due to the sparse population density around the reserve, as well as steep slopes and rugged terrain which limit cultivation, it is mainly intact except for light encroached enclaves, mainly at the lower altitudes. To local people, the reserve is important for building materials, especially bamboo poles and non-timber products; it is not important for timber production. However, it is ranked highly for biodiversity conservation by the Forest Department. The forest is also important as a water catchment area
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site is a global KBA for the moon shrew (Crocidura selina).
Additional biodiversity: Biodiversity surveys conducted in the 1990's recorded 261 species of trees and shrubs, 21 small mammals, 168 birds, 94 butterflies, and 44 large moths
Manageability of the site: The site is managed by the National Forest Authority as a central forest reserve.
Supersedes another site: Boundary also revised to use shapefile used by Uganda Government - you will see it follows the forest boundary on satellite imagery more accurately.
Delineation rationale: The boundary of the site follows the legally gazetted boundary of the Central Forest Reserve as recognised by the government of Uganda
Habitats
Land use: It is managed as a forest reserve by the National Forest Authority primarily for biodiversity conservation and watershed management.
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Ongoing | |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |