Date: July 26, 2025
Location: Purongo, bordering Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda
Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Uganda Wildlife Crime Unit (UWCU), Uganda Wildlife Authority Rangers, and support from Focused Conservation, a major wildlife trafficker has been stopped in Uganda.
During Operation Glacier, carried out near Murchison Falls National Park, authorities apprehended a trafficker in possession of roughly 50 kilograms of hippo teeth—representing numerous hippos killed—as well as 15 kilograms of pangolin scales. Both are high-value targets in the illegal wildlife trade in Africa. The suspect’s motorbike, used to transport the illicit products, was also seized.
Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest protected area, spanning nearly 3,900 km² and forming the heart of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area alongside Bugungu and Karuma Wildlife Reserves. The park’s vast rivers, wetlands, and channels provide prime habitat for species like the hippopotamuses —one of Africa’s most iconic and ecologically important species.
Despite their formidable size and power, hippos are increasingly at risk. They are often targeted for their meat and teeth, which are carved and sold as ivory substitutes. Across Africa, hippo populations have plummeted over the past two decades, prompting the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to classify them as Vulnerable.
Murchison Falls is not only home for hippos but also elephants, lions, giraffes, and hundreds of bird species. It remains a frontline in the battle against illegal hunting, where strong enforcement operations like Glacier play a key role in safeguarding wildlife for future generations.
Focused Conservation remains committed to supporting Ugandan authorities in dismantling wildlife trafficking networks and protecting the species that define Africa’s natural heritage.
