World Wildlife Day: Saving big cats in Uganda

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Conservationists in Uganda are concerned about the decline in the lion population, which has dropped from 1,000 in the early 1990's to 420 currently. CGTN's Hillary Ayesiga has more on this.

Lion King - Letaba marks his territory. But as he stamps his authority here, his area of influence is shrinking. So are the numbers in his pride.

AKANKWASAH BARIREGA COMMISSIONER WILDLIFE CONSERVATION "There is a lot of poisoning particularly from pastoral communities because these lions, leopards and cheetahs are predators and sometimes predates on people's livestock."

This trend is worrying conservationists because of the growing ecological imbalance.

AKANKWASAH BARIREGA COMMISSIONER WILDLIFE CONSERVATION "The decline of the species like the lions, leopards and cheetahs, who would have controlled the numbers of these populations are going down and that's why you are seeing excess numbers of antelopes that calls for sustainable harvesting."

But the ultimate price here is on the declining revenues. Big cats are an important attraction to Uganda's tourism industry along with Mountain Gorillas.

ANDREW SSEGUYA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UGANDA WILDLIFE AUTHORITY "All people that come to Africa dream of Lion King they dream of seeing climbing lions like the ones we have in Ishasha, this is what is bringing in foreign exchange which eventually builds our roads, schools, health systems."

The country earns 1.37 billion US dollars from Tourism alone. And as the world celebrates United Nations Wildlife Day, Uganda's conservationists are pushing to raise awareness about the need to protect the big cat.

HILLARY AYESIGA UGANDA "According to available figures from Uganda's Tourism ministry, the sector employs over one million people. For Uganda, saving the big cats isn't only sentimental, it's an economic necessity. HILLARY AYESIGA, CGTN KAMPALA, UGANDA."