Cheetah Conservation in Uganda (2026): Status & Threats

Quick Answer: Cheetah Conservation Status in Uganda 2026

Cheetahs in Uganda are classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with hunting prohibited nationwide under CITES Appendix I protection. The country's main cheetah population—estimated at approximately 19 individuals—inhabits Kidepo Valley National Park and its surroundings in the northeast, where they face acute threats from habitat fragmentation, prey depletion, and illegal wildlife trade. Uganda's inclusion in the Large Carnivore National Conservation Action Plan signals commitment to species recovery, though 77% of global cheetah habitat remains unprotected, exposing populations to intensified human–wildlife conflict and poaching.

Why Cheetahs Matter in Uganda's Conservation Landscape

Cheetahs are flagship carnivores that signal ecosystem health across Uganda's protected areas. Unlike lions or leopards, cheetahs require vast, open grasslands and savannah—habitats that have contracted sharply due to agricultural expansion and human settlement. The presence of cheetahs indicates functional prey populations and intact landscape connectivity, making their survival a barometer for broader savanna conservation.

Historically, cheetahs ranged across Uganda's pastoral and semi-arid zones. Today, Kidepo Valley National Park—Uganda's most remote protected area, located in the northeastern Karamoja region—anchors the country's cheetah conservation effort. This 1,442 km² park sits within a transboundary landscape shared with Kenya and South Sudan, where cheetah movements and genetic exchange depend on cross-border cooperation.

The Threats: Why Cheetahs Are Declining in Uganda

Habitat Loss and Fragmentation

Uganda's human population is expanding rapidly—projected to grow from 34.6 million (2014) to 55.4 million by 2030, at a growth rate of 3.03% annually. This demographic pressure drives conversion of grasslands into agriculture, pastoral ranching, and settlements, fragmenting cheetah habitat into isolated patches. Cheetahs require home ranges exceeding 3,000 km² in some areas and have been recorded making movements of over 1,000 km. Fragmented landscapes prevent these long-distance movements, isolating populations and reducing genetic diversity.

The absence of mega-fauna management and declining land availability for wildlife further compress suitable cheetah habitat, pushing populations into marginal areas where human–wildlife conflict intensifies.

Prey Depletion and Poaching

Cheetahs depend on medium-sized ungulates—gazelles, impalas, and small antelopes—as primary prey. Unsustainable bushmeat harvesting and illegal poaching of these species starves cheetah populations of food, forcing them to hunt livestock and inciting retaliatory killing by herders and ranchers. In unprotected lands, which harbour an estimated 67% of the global cheetah population, prey loss compounds habitat fragmentation.

Kidepo Valley and its surrounding zones experience commercial poaching using modern equipment, including snares and illegal firearms. A landmark 2024 effort by Global Conservation and the Uganda Conservation Foundation documented and dismantled thousands of illegal snares in Murchison Falls National Park—a neighbouring protected area—demonstrating the scale of poaching infrastructure across Uganda's protected landscape.

Illegal Wildlife Trade

Cheetahs are heavily targeted for illegal international pet trade and fur trafficking. A CITES-commissioned study revealed that Eastern Africa—particularly Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda—reported the highest numbers of illegal cheetah trade incidents, driven by demand for exotic pets on the Arabian Peninsula and in Gulf States. Live cheetahs are caught and traded through Somalia into Yemen and onward to wealthy buyers.

This trade exploits extreme poverty in source countries and human–wildlife conflict contexts, where local communities may view cheetahs as economic assets or threats. Uganda's position as a transit route for trafficking to the Middle East amplifies the risk to wild populations.

Human–Wildlife Conflict

Over 90% of cheetahs globally live outside protected areas, placing them in direct contact with pastoral and farming communities. While cheetahs rarely attack humans, livestock predation—however limited compared to lions or leopards—triggers retaliatory killing. Herders and game ranchers persecute cheetahs to protect cattle, goats, and game animals, a practice that intensifies as human settlements encroach on remaining cheetah habitat.

In Karamoja and surrounding pastoral zones, climate-driven drought increases livestock pressure on shared rangelands, heightening both human–wildlife and human–human conflict over resources.

Genetic Vulnerability

Cheetahs carry an exceptionally small gene pool due to two historical population bottlenecks: a rapid range expansion ~100,000 years ago followed by extinctions in North America and Europe ~10,000–12,000 years ago. This genetic poverty makes cheetahs susceptible to infectious disease, poor sperm quality, and infertility—challenges that compound habitat loss and poaching. Uganda's isolated populations face particular risk if disconnected from larger African metapopulations.

What's Being Done: Uganda's Cheetah Conservation Response

National Legal Framework and Policy

Uganda prohibits cheetah hunting nationwide and is bound by CITES Appendix I protection, making the species fully protected under international law. The country's inclusion in the Large Carnivore National Conservation Action Plan reflects commitment to species recovery, addressing proximate threats (habitat loss, conflict, poaching) and ultimate drivers (land use planning, policy, capacity building).

This plan, coordinated with Uganda's national park protection framework, aligns with regional initiatives spanning 17 African nations that collectively cover 96% of known cheetah range.

Protected Area Management and Ranger Operations

Kidepo Valley National Park serves as Uganda's primary cheetah stronghold, managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). The park's remoteness and relatively intact grasslands provide critical habitat, though poaching and resource constraints threaten protection effectiveness.

In 2023–2024, Global Conservation deployed funding to restore Kidepo Valley's management capacity, including ranger infrastructure and a country-wide Digital Strategy using EarthRanger technology for real-time patrol monitoring across Kidepo, Murchison Falls, and Queen Elizabeth National Parks. The Uganda Conservation Foundation (UCF) partners with UWA to provide specialist training, equipment, and morale support to rangers—essential for reducing poaching and protecting cheetah habitat.

Ranger-collected data from Ugandan protected areas have revealed spatiotemporal patterns of illegal activity, enabling evidence-based patrol deployment and snare removal. However, staff turnover remains a challenge: rangers trained through external programmes are often reassigned, limiting institutional site capacity.

International Coordination and Research

The African Range Wide Cheetah Conservation Initiative (CCI), launched in 2007 by Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZSL), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and the IUCN Cat Specialist Group, provides coordinated conservation strategy across the continent. Funded by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the CCI brings together researchers and wildlife managers to address transboundary cheetah movement and population monitoring.

Prof. Sarah Durant and the ZSL team have conducted the longest-running in-depth survey of wild cheetah populations since 1991, generating population estimates and threat assessments that inform policy across range states including Uganda.

A landmark 2016 study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and authored by 54 conservation experts, estimated the global cheetah population at approximately 7,100 adult and adolescent individuals and recommended uplisting the species from Vulnerable to Endangered on the IUCN Red List—reflecting the severity of ongoing decline. Uganda's cheetah population, while small, contributes to this range-wide assessment and benefits from cross-border research coordination.

Community Engagement and Human–Wildlife Coexistence

The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) and partner organisations focus on mitigating human–wildlife conflict through education, livestock management training, and livelihood diversification in cheetah range areas. These programmes teach herders to use bomas (livestock enclosures) and herding practices that reduce predation, reducing the need for retaliatory killing.

Uganda's conservation action plan emphasizes awareness raising and political commitment to cheetah conservation, promotion of human–cheetah coexistence, and improvement of land use planning to reduce habitat fragmentation. Community-based conservation initiatives, supported by Uganda's community conservancy network, help align pastoral livelihoods with cheetah protection.

Technology and Monitoring

Digital patrol monitoring systems (EarthRanger), funded by Global Conservation and the International Elephant Foundation, now track ranger activities and wildlife incidents across multiple Ugandan parks. These tools enable rapid response to poaching and provide data for conservation planning. However, sustainability depends on continued external funding and local capacity retention.

Conservation Results and Remaining Challenges

Successes to Date

• Legal Protection: Uganda's hunting ban and CITES listing provide legal foundation for cheetah protection, with no legal trophy hunting permitted.
• Ranger Capacity Building: Partnerships between UWA, UCF, and international donors have strengthened patrol operations and snare removal, with documented success in Murchison Falls (three consecutive years without elephant poaching incidents).
• Regional Coordination: Uganda's participation in transboundary initiatives with Kenya and South Sudan enables cheetah movement monitoring and genetic exchange across the Kidepo landscape.
• Infrastructure Investment: Rangers' dormitories and ranger posts funded through conservation partnerships improve working conditions and retention, critical for long-term protection.

Persistent Challenges

• Unprotected Habitat: 77% of global cheetah range lies outside protected areas. Uganda's cheetahs, concentrated in Kidepo, depend heavily on park protection; dispersing individuals face acute threats in unprotected pastoral zones.
• Population Isolation: Uganda's cheetah population of ~19 individuals in Kidepo is small and geographically isolated, vulnerable to stochastic events and genetic drift.
• Funding Sustainability: Conservation programmes rely on external donors (Global Conservation, USAID, SIDA, international NGOs). Local government budgets struggle to sustain ranger operations and equipment maintenance long-term.
• Climate and Land Use Pressure: Rapid human population growth (3.03% annually) continues to drive habitat conversion, outpacing conservation gains.
• Illegal Trade Persistence: Despite CITES protection, trafficking through Somalia to Arabian Peninsula markets remains an ongoing threat, requiring enhanced border enforcement and demand reduction.

How Tourism and Safari Visitors Support Cheetah Conservation

Wildlife tourism generates revenue that funds ranger salaries, park operations, and community benefits in Uganda. Visitors booking Uganda safari tours to Kidepo Valley contribute directly to habitat protection and human–wildlife coexistence programmes. Park entrance fees and tourism concessions support the Uganda Wildlife Authority's operational budget.

Responsible tourism also raises global awareness of cheetah conservation needs, supporting international funding and policy commitment. Travellers can amplify impact by:

• Choosing safari operators that partner with conservation organisations (e.g., those supporting UCF or Global Conservation initiatives).
• Visiting Kidepo Valley National Park during designated cheetah viewing seasons to generate revenue for protection.
• Supporting community-based tourism enterprises that benefit local herders, reducing dependence on livestock and poaching.
• Reporting wildlife crime observations to park authorities.

Safari operators on SafariFind can help you find conservation-certified tours that prioritize cheetah protection and community benefit.

The Path Forward: 2026 and Beyond

Cheetah conservation in Uganda requires sustained investment in:

• Ranger Capacity: Reducing staff turnover through competitive salaries and career development, building institutional memory and site-level expertise.
• Habitat Connectivity: Working with Kenya and South Sudan to maintain transboundary corridors that allow cheetah movement and genetic exchange.
• Demand Reduction: Targeting illegal pet trade markets in the Middle East through law enforcement and awareness campaigns.
• Community Livelihood Alternatives: Scaling livestock management training and diversified income sources to reduce human–wildlife conflict.
• Climate Adaptation: Integrating drought resilience and rangeland management into conservation planning, critical as climate change intensifies pastoral pressures.

The 2016 recommendation to uplift cheetahs to Endangered status reflects the urgency of these efforts. Uganda's cheetah population, while small, remains part of the global conservation imperative. Success depends on sustained political will, external funding, ranger retention, and community engagement—challenges that extend beyond protected areas into the pastoral and agricultural landscapes where most cheetahs ultimately depend.

Last reviewed August 2026. Conservation data changes — see the cited sources for the latest figures.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cheetahs are left in Uganda?

Uganda's cheetah population is estimated at approximately 19 individuals, primarily located in Kidepo Valley National Park and its surroundings in the northeastern Karamoja region. This represents a small fraction of the global population of approximately 7,100 adult and adolescent cheetahs.

Why are cheetahs endangered in Uganda?

Cheetahs face multiple threats: habitat loss and fragmentation due to rapid human population growth (3.03% annually), prey depletion from bushmeat poaching, retaliatory killing by livestock herders, illegal wildlife trade for exotic pets, and genetic vulnerability from historical population bottlenecks.

Is it legal to hunt cheetahs in Uganda?

No. Uganda prohibits cheetah hunting nationwide and is bound by CITES Appendix I protection, making the species fully protected under international law. The country is also included in the Large Carnivore National Conservation Action Plan, which addresses cheetah conservation across 17 African nations.

Where can I see cheetahs on a Uganda safari?

Kidepo Valley National Park, Uganda's most remote protected area in the northeastern Karamoja region, is the primary location for cheetah viewing. The park's vast grasslands and savannah provide critical habitat. Visitors should book with established safari operators and visit during designated seasons to support conservation revenue while respecting wildlife protection protocols.

What is being done to protect cheetahs in Uganda?

Uganda's conservation response includes: legal protection through CITES and national hunting bans; ranger capacity building by the Uganda Wildlife Authority partnering with the Uganda Conservation Foundation; digital patrol monitoring (EarthRanger) funded by Global Conservation; transboundary coordination with Kenya and South Sudan; and community engagement programmes addressing human–wildlife conflict.

How does human–wildlife conflict affect cheetahs?

Over 90% of cheetahs live outside protected areas, placing them in direct contact with pastoral and farming communities. Livestock predation, though rare, triggers retaliatory killing by herders. Climate-driven drought in Karamoja intensifies pressure on shared rangelands, heightening both human–wildlife and human–human conflict.

What is the illegal wildlife trade threat to Uganda's cheetahs?

Cheetahs are targeted for international pet trade driven by demand on the Arabian Peninsula and in Gulf States. A CITES study found Eastern Africa—including Uganda—reported the highest illegal trade incidents, with cheetahs trafficked through Somalia to Yemen and onward to wealthy buyers. This trade exploits poverty and human–wildlife conflict contexts.

How does tourism help cheetah conservation in Uganda?

Wildlife tourism generates revenue funding ranger salaries, park operations, and community programmes. Visitors booking safaris to Kidepo Valley contribute directly to habitat protection. Choosing conservation-certified operators and supporting community-based tourism enterprises amplify conservation impact while reducing dependence on poaching and livestock.

Is Uganda's cheetah population stable or declining?

Uganda's cheetah population remains small and vulnerable. While legal protection and ranger operations provide a foundation, ongoing habitat loss, prey depletion, and illegal trade pose persistent threats. The global cheetah population (7,100 individuals) is recommended for uplisting to Endangered status, reflecting range-wide decline.

What is the Large Carnivore National Conservation Action Plan?

Uganda's Large Carnivore National Conservation Action Plan is a national strategy addressing cheetah conservation alongside other carnivores. It covers habitat improvement, human–coexistence promotion, land use planning, and policy strengthening across 17 African range states, collectively covering 96% of known cheetah range.

How do cheetahs depend on prey species in Uganda?

Cheetahs hunt medium-sized ungulates—gazelles, impalas, and small antelopes. Unsustainable bushmeat harvesting and illegal poaching deplete these prey species, forcing cheetahs to hunt livestock and inciting retaliatory killing. Prey loss is particularly acute in unprotected lands, which harbour 67% of the global cheetah population.

What role do rangers play in cheetah conservation?

Rangers conduct patrols, remove illegal snares, monitor cheetah populations, and respond to poaching. Partnerships between the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Uganda Conservation Foundation provide specialist training and equipment to strengthen ranger capacity. However, staff turnover remains a challenge to long-term institutional effectiveness.