Enoch Ntale, Coordinator- Musambwa Island Joint Conservation Organisation -MIJCO, says they will improve their conservation operations starting with rehabilitating the breeding colonies which were devastated by the floods.
The
receding water levels in Lake Victoria have brought relief to the fishermen
and conservationists living on Musambwa Island.
Enoch Ntale, Coordinator- Musambwa Island Joint Conservation Organisation -MIJCO, says they will improve their conservation operations starting with rehabilitating the breeding colonies which were devastated by the floods.
He
adds that the water receded about three meters adding that the birds are slowly
returning to occupy the drying colonies to nest. He
says the wild waves which used to crush rocks and splash water in the breeding
colonies have also reduced and created relief for the birds in the meantime.
In addition, the non-resident fishermen have reduced due to a low fish catch this season
which has created enough space on the island.
//Cue
in: “Amataba go gakendedemuko……………………
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out:…………………baba tebasobola kugenyiwalako.”//
The
six-acre-island located in the Northwestern part of the lake in Kabira
sub-county, Kyotera district, is the world’s largest breeding colony for tens
of thousands of grey-headed gulls, little egrets and long-tailed cormorant and
other bird species.
Musambwa island is one of the global conservation areas (Ramsar sites) critically
important for bird breeding. It is also colony for more than 100
other bird species in addition to snakes and pythons.
In
2020, it was nearly swallowed up by the rising water levels in the lake caused
by the persistent torrential rainfall.The
2019-2020 report from the Ministry of Water, indicates that the water levels in
Lake Victoria had hit the record of13.42-metre mark surpassing the 1964 record
of 13.41 meters.
As
a result, Islands including Musambwa and Migingo among other areas were greatly
affected by the rising water levels forcing several occupants to evacuate.
At
Muswambwa, the water gradually extended a distance of more than 6 meters from
the original shoreline and around the island. It destroyed close to 1000
eggs, nests, and killing over 500 birds mostly helpless chicks which could not
fly.
Ntale
recounts that the breeding places and human settlements were flooded forcing
the residents to shift into the dry breeding colonies for survival.
He
explains that the rising water levels disturbed the conservation plans and
affected the breeding pattern of the birds forcing some to migrate.
However,
Ntale says that since the water levels have gradually receded they have high
hopes that the birds will regain enough space.
Charles
Tebasulwa, the Chairperson of the Association of Fishers and Lake Users of
Uganda -AFALU at Musambwa Island, say the floods forced them into the dry breeding
areas for survival.
Tebasulwa further says that the situation is slowly normalizing and the resident fishermen
are complying with the conservation guidelines to preserve the birds and their
space.
The
bird census conducted by Nature Uganda in January 2020, indicated the
number of grey-headed gulls standing at 100,000 individuals while the
breeding pairs keep fluctuating between 30,000 and 50,000 pairs.
There
are mainly two populations of grey-headed gulls namely; the resident, which do
not migrate, and those that migrate to Asia or Europe and return during winter.
During
the migration season i.e. from October to February of every year, the numbers
tend to be high but they reduce after March when the migrant group has left the
country.
Davis Buyondo
Freelancer