Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) has immense natural resources including wetlands, aquatic and terrestrial birds that should be well protected and conserved to promote sustainable eco-tourism in Uganda. This research focused on the participation of local communities towards the protection and management strategies of wildlife in QENP.

The study found that local populations participated in protection and management strategies including engaging in dialogues between park officials and the locals, participating in finding solutions to problematic animals, and to human-wildlife conflicts, as well as sharing part of the Park’s revenue. The study found that the factors that affected effective wildlife protection and management strategies were: lack of adequate compensation, failure to enforce Park policies, and inadequate consultation with local communities. The study identified the following strategies: addressing conservation challenges such as poaching, encroachment, and illegal grazing through; placing patrols in all protected areas, arresting people who encroach on the park’s land without permission from the Uganda Wildlife Authority.