John Makombo was given one of two 2010 National Geographic Society/Buffett Awards in recognition of his efforts in helping safeguard endangered mountain gorillas and African elephants through ecosystem restoration and natural resource management in Uganda’s national parks.
The conservation award also recognized Makombo, now Chief Conservation Area Manager for National Parks and Wildlife Reserves, for coordinating a multinational effort to prevent habitat fragmentation within much of the mountain gorilla’s home range.
Wildlife Habitat Conservation and the National Geographic Society/ Buffett Awards
In 2001, recognizing the importance of conservation work in preserving the wild places that National Geographic introduces to the public, their Conservation Trust awarded its first grant. Two Buffett grants are awarded annually, for Leadership in Latin American Conservation and Leadership in African Conservation.
Protecting Uganda’s Mountain Gorillas
Starting in Uganda, John Makombo worked to improve relations between the local people and the mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. His efforts raised awareness among those living around the borders of this park, where approximately half of the world’s mountain gorillas live. The creation of a buffer zone along the southern boundary of the park eased tensions with the neighboring communities who were affected by the gorillas’ crop raiding activities, thus preserving this important keystone species.
Makombo also served as president of an international committee coordinating work within the Democratic Republic of Congo (Virunga National Park), Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park) and Uganda (Mgahinga Gorilla National Park) to improve conditions for these highly endangered gorillas through joint habitat conservation. He was also an active participant in the Lusaka Agreement Task Force development.
Murchison Falls National Park Accepts Elephants at Risk
Makombo was also key to saving a small herd of African elephants from persecution when human settlements within their range had increased dramatically. The animals were translocated to Murchison Falls National Park, the largest national park in Uganda, where they were able to integrate with a much larger herd.
Regional Natural Resource Management in Uganda
In the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, the Semliki Wildlife Reserve and National Park, Makombo initiated community–based anti–poaching and sustainable natural resource management programs, which improved conditions for the local people while protecting biodiversity within the parks.
Enlarging on this work, he developed the concept of conservation area management unit by integrating projects between the wildlife reserve and the national park in Semliki. The concept has spread throughout the country with Uganda’s 10 national parks and 12 wildlife reserves being organized into seven conservation areas. Local wildlife sanctuaries are also incorporated in these management areas as well.
John Makombo’s work in Uganda shows the value of coordinated natural resource management in the effort to save endangered and threatened wildlife species. The 2010 National Geographic Buffet Award for Latin American conservation honored a Brazilian couple for their work in the Atlantic Forest.
Dawn M. Smith - A vet nurse, Dawn has worked in wildlife rehabilitation and conservation around the world in addition to her veterinary hospital ...
Join the Conversation