Lion Tracking In Ishasha Sector

Lion Tracking In Ishasha Sector : Lion tracking is one of the unique safari activity in Ishasha sector that is found in Queen Elizabeth National Park, this is such a spectacular safari activity that attracts various tourists in the country. Compared to other East African countries its only Ishasha sector in the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda and Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania that are blessed with the tree climbing lions. Lion tracking in Queen Elizabeth can only be accessed and done by booking in advance that’s when the tourists can be able to enjoy in the lion tracking without any disturbance.

Queen Elizabeth national park is the second largest national park in Uganda, with a variety of the wildlife that includes the various over 600 bird species and above 95 mammal animal species. The animal species that are located in the park includes the buffalos, waterbucks, hippos, crocodiles, zebras, Uganda kobs, giraffes, giant forest hog, chimpanzee, elephant and among others. Bird species which are found in the park includes African fin foot, Black bee-eater, Caspian plover, Crab-plover, shoebill stork, Great white pelican, Yellow-bellied wattle-eye, potted redshank, White-winged tern, Papyrus gonolek, Red-chested sunbird and among many others.

Tourists who come to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park to carry out lion tracking usually gain education experience and at times they feel the excitement after tracking the lions, that is various tourists who participate in the lion tracking in the park get to learn about the lion species, their behavioral ways, their feeding habits, and at the same time the tourists learn the merits of conserving the lions for the coming generations in the our environment.

Lion tracking safari program in Uganda under Queen Elizabeth National Park is sponsored by the carnivore program in together with the Uganda Wildlife Authority that enhances the better conservation ways of the lions. At first the program started as the research program and later it was opened to the public for everyone who would wish to carry out the program. As the main intension for the Carnivore Program is to carryout research, monitoring and the conservation of the lions majorly and also specifically some other species that includes leopards, hyenas from being extinct in the national park.

Lion tracking in Ishasha is done in different phases that is three times a day, morning from 8 am during the late afternoon periods, and the night lion tracking can be done, this is where the tourists are given two to three hours as they are tracking for the lions in the park. Lion trackers are first briefed, and during the briefing the lion trackers are told what they expect, the dos and don’ts while tracking the lions in the park.

Lion tracking in Ishasha sector Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Lion tracking is done with the team of the experts from the Uganda Carnivore Program and at times a ranger from Uganda Wildlife Authority. The tourists are given the radio-collar to monitor the movements of the lions in the park, territories and as well in their conflict areas where there are high chances of meeting up with people and their livestock. As well the GPS location also helps the researchers to keep following, when almost reaching the lions, the researchers are alerted by the ring in one of their devices.  This is when they slow down or switching off the engine of the vehicle and if you are lucky during the lion tracking you may observe while the researchers on your tracking team getting the DNA, urine, saliva, blood from the lions after calming the lions which gives you the best lion tracking safari experience.

During the lion tracking the trackers are remained to always do extra spotting in the various trees that are located in the park as most of the times the lions tend to rest from the tree tops as a way of escaping too much heat, that is always much in the park. Spotting the lions in the trees is much rewarding that makes the lion tracking safari perfect in Ishasha sector.

When carrying out lion tracking safari activity, this is where the trackers are divided and arranged in the small groups of four to six members that are usually supported by a team of the researchers and the guide which makes the tracking easy and enjoyable as the team can be fully protected and safe with the assistance and provision of the Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger.

Best time for the lion tracking in Ishasha sector.

Lion tracking in Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth National Park can be done all the year around, but the best time to carry out the safari is during the months of June to September and December to February, again it’s the period when the game drive tracks in the park are present. Minus the lions the tourists during the lion tracking safari can be able to spot other animal species that includes the elephants, hyenas, leopards, buffalos, impalas, and many others.

Lion tracking can be done while following the dry season because that’s when the roads can be easily passable and the grass can be short that makes the tracking of lions too easy.