A SCIF funded project on sitatunga in Uganda recently published a scientific article, “Population density of sitatunga in riverine wetland habitats.” The researcher, Dr. Camille Warbington, also recently defended her PhD dissertation at the University of Alberta.
Sitatunga are a very under studied species, owing to their elusive nature in deep papyrus swamps, so this study represents a significant contribution to our understanding of their populations and provides methods for measuring information about similar species in dense habitats. These results can also be used to set more scientifically based hunting quotas and inform harvest in African range states. Sitatunga are a main driver of hunting tourism in unique safari destinations such as Uganda, which has a growing hunting industry.
SCIF supported this project with funding for several years. Dr. Warbington also presented her findings at SCIF’s African Wildlife Consultative Forum in 2017 and 2018, the first AWCF ever hosted in Uganda. SCIF is glad to see its research investments produce such great scientific results!
Learn more by reading this interview with Camille, the publication in Global Ecology and Conservation, or Dr. Warbington’s PhD dissertation.