Elephants Return to Uganda's Mount Elgon After Four Decades, Raising Tourism Prospects
A herd of at least 60 elephants has crossed from Kenya back into the Ugandan side of Mount Elgon National Park, returning to areas they largely abandoned more than 40 years ago following aggressive ivory poaching during Uganda's civil war in the late 1970s and 1980s. Tracked using collar monitoring by the Mount Elgon Foundation (MEF), the crossings were first recorded in 2022 and have since increased significantly, with Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) drone footage confirming a herd that has remained on the Ugandan side since November 2025. UWA's Caroline Asiimwe attributed the return to ongoing habitat restoration efforts within the national park, noting that forest regeneration has made the area increasingly viable for wildlife.
The development carries significant implications for tourism in Bukwo district, where community leaders and conservation officials say elephant presence could generate revenue, create employment for tour guides and rangers, and support broader conservation funding. Mount Elgon, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve straddling the Uganda - Kenya border, is home to more than 300 bird species and a range of mammals, and is known for its cave-dwelling elephants - a rare wildlife spectacle with strong ecotourism appeal. However, the return has also brought human - wildlife conflict, with elephants damaging crops in 2025. UWA is working to address tensions through habitat restoration, wildlife corridors, community-based ecotourism initiatives and plans to train farmers to grow crops less attractive to elephants.
Source: Mongabay
