AJAI GAME RESERVES/ Ajai Wildlife Reserve; Empty but ancient home to Uganda’s largest number of Rhinos
The only prominent and dominating protected area and tourist destination in the West Nile region. Ajai Game Reserve also called Ajai Wildlife Reserve is historically known for accommodating the largest numbers of rhinos, though till now no rhino is recorded in the parks beside the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) arrangements of relocating rhinos from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in the future times.
Besides human encroachments and other disasters affecting nature, Ajai Game Reserve is among the few remaining wildlife catching areas in the West Nile. Located Northwestern Uganda laying along the banks of the magnificent Albert Nile in Ogoko sub-county Madi Okollo district.
Ajai Game Reserve is a smaller magnificent wildlife reserve covering an area of only 166 square kilometers suited under management of Uganda Wildlife Authority. This reserve features Savannah grasslands, forests, woodlands, swamps and highlands, and is positioned on a lower elevation of 658 meters above sea level.
The Historical background of Ajai Game Reserve
The reserve was named after the local leader called Ajai who used to protect the reserve, and has experienced series of conservation and protection to ensure its future. Was first gazetted 1937 under the colonial rule with tough measures to stop poacher.
Before the reserve first under the management of the traditional Chief Ajai. And following his death, in 1965 the sanctuary was upgraded to the status of a game reserve purposely to protect the Rhinos which species later got extinct from the reserve.
The reserve was a sanctuary to the highest population of rhinos, but the high practices of poaching for the rhino’s ivory, the species (rhinos) were hunted down. The major purpose for the establishment reserve was to conserve the white rhinoceros against the evil activities to the species.
In 1962, anti-poaching project t was done at the reserve with the support from the World Wildlife Fund, however, the project never stop the poaching until the rhinos seized the reserve. Under the private management of Ajai game Reserve, by 1965, the reserve boasted for about 60 to 80 white rhinoceros which were all hunted down until extinction.
In the year 2002, about 12km of Ajai game reserve were cleared for human settlements. In 2008, Uganda Wildlife Authority privatized the reserve to Uganda Wild Safaris Limited a tour operating company, which company is major in tours, photography and hunting.
Ajai Wildlife Reserve Progressing Plan
Uganda Wildlife Reserve has a mega plan of restoring the supremacy of Ajai Game Reserve through restoring rhino presence at the reserve. Due to the progressing increase of rhinos at Ziwa rhino sanctuary, a bleeding spot for the rhinos in Uganda. Today, the government through UWA together with the Rhino Fund are in plans to reintroduce the white rhinoceros to Ajai game reserve, as well Murchison falls national park.
Wildlife at Ajai Wildlife Reserve
This breathtaking reserve along the Albert Nile bank is home to a number of wildlife species among which include; Oribis, Bushbucks, warthogs, Lewel, Jacksons’ Hartebeests Ugandan kob, lions, leopards, Sitatunga antelopes, zebras, duikers. It’s home forest and woodlands are play stations and home to a number of primates (monkeys) like the vervet monkey, Olive baboon, black colobus monkeys, white colobus monkey, and can sight the reptiles like Pythons.
Bird species
The reserve is home to forest, woodland and savannah bird species, and there a number of birds to count white at Ajai game reserve. A number of bird species call Ajai reserve home including; the Grey Crowned cranes, Marabou stocks and African fish eagles, white backed vultures, helmeted guineafowl, black headed weaver, white browed Coucal, little bee –eater etc.
Communities around the Reserve
There is a rich cultural display in the communities surrounding Ajai game reserve. Tourists to the reserve can get entertained with the arakaraka dance, these are done by women dancing while balancing about 8 pots on head without hand support. Can take a cultural trip to rhino camp, a refugee camp in the proximity. Tourist can also visit the villages and acquire handmade crafts to take home for remembrance.
Accessing Ajai game reserve
When opting for a trip to Ajai game reserve, then the trip can possibly be combined with Murchison falls national park. Ajai game reserve is located in Northern Uganda, in the West Nile sub-region, about an hour driver East of Arua City. It’s about 4 hours by road from Gulu city the capital pof Northern Uganda region. The reserve is about 8 hours’ drive from Kampala and one hour using a standard chartered flight to Arua airstrip, the access by road.
Accommodation
There is no standard accommodation at the reserve, but there are provision for travelers with their camping gears and can make their own food. The nearby standard accommodation can only be accessed in Arua city. And among these accommodation outside the reserve include; Wall vile suits, The Pagoda, Hotel Nok Continental and Royal.
