Uganda Wildlife Authority

ABSTRACT Uganda is home to remarkable biodiversity, supports diverse ecosystems ranging from glacier‐topped mountains, tropical rain forests, to semi‐arid systems, has a well‐established and effective protected areas system, and benefits substantially from nature tourism. However, Uganda will face significant challenges if it is to maintain these riches. For example, the country's population is growing rapidly and is expected to surpass 100 million by 2050, more than 80% of households depend directly on natural resources for their livelihoods, and agricultural land has expanded by about 1% per year. Furthermore, Uganda is one of the world's most climate‐vulnerable countries, and flooding and droughts are predicted to become much more common. Such changes will increase demands on natural resources, including those in protected areas. Uganda's government is aware of these challenges and has become a regional leader in environmental policy by taking a proactive approach. However, Uganda is struggling to educate its citizens and build the capacity for effective protection. Here we evaluate Uganda's conservation status and the threats to biodiversity from societal and climate change. We consider the current capacity and institutional infrastructure available to conserve the country's biodiversity, focusing on training and research, policy implementation and capacity in the field. Despite major challenges, clear pathways to a bright future are available.

Abstract Conservation success stories, such as the recovery of the isolated populations of mountain gorilla ( Gorilla beringei beringei ), are increasingly threatened by emerging health challenges. In the Virunga Massif, strongylid‐associated gastrointestinal disease has been linked to significant morbidity and mortality of mountain gorillas, posing a critical threat to this population's long‐term survival. Using metabarcoding of faecal samples (~65% of the population) and spatial and habitat analyses, we examined the composition and drivers of strongylid nematode communities and their role in clinical disease emergence. We identified Hyostrongylus nematodes, known pathogens in suids, as the primary contributors to gastric lesions observed in necropsied gorillas. Spatial variation in strongylid communities is correlated with environmental gradients, indicating that environmental factors such as climate and vegetation play a significant role in shaping strongylid community composition. Additionally, limited genetic diversity resulting from historical population bottlenecks may negatively impact the health of gorillas affected by parasites. Our findings suggest that the high absolute abundance of pathogenic Hyostrongylus is concentrated in specific high‐altitude regions, aligning with observed cases of severe gastritis. Synthesis and applications . These findings highlight an emerging health threat for mountain gorillas, with implications for other isolated wildlife populations facing similar ecological and evolutionary pressures. The study calls for continued monitoring of parasitic diseases in wildlife populations, especially those in fragmented habitats with limited capacity for expansion, to mitigate potential risks to their conservation.

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L. Lam) production is threatened by complex viral diseases, notably sweet potato virus disease (SPVD) worldwide, which results from co-infection by sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) and sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV). This study provides virus-specific transcriptomic insights into the immune responses of three sweetpotato cultivars, 'Beauregard', 'Tanzania', and 'New Kawogo', to SPFMV, SPCSV, and SPVD. Using RNA-seq profiling across three timepoints post-infection at 3, 6, and 12 weeks, we identified distinct virus- and genotype-specific gene expression responses. 'New Kawogo' activated early and sustained immune pathways involving redox regulation, transcriptional control, and hormonal signaling in response to both SPCSV and SPFMV, while showing minimal transcriptional disruption under SPVD, reflecting robust tolerance. 'Beauregard' exhibited early suppression of immune and metabolic genes, with delayed and disorganized recovery efforts, particularly under SPVD. Defense-related pathways including NBS-LRR signaling, RNA silencing, and hormonal regulation were consistently upregulated in 'New Kawogo' and to a lesser extent in 'Tanzania', but remained inactive in 'Beauregard'. This study highlights candidate resistance and susceptibility genes for each virus, providing a molecular basis for developing virus-resilient sweetpotato cultivars through functional genomics and marker-assisted breeding. These findings elucidate the molecular basis of virus resistance in sweetpotato and identify candidate genes for marker-assisted breeding, despite limitations arising from the use of a diploid reference genome and discrete sampling intervals.

Abstract Tropical forests are rich in biodiversity but face the rapid loss of their wildlife due to increasing anthropogenic pressure, underscoring the urgent need for effective monitoring. Remote‐sensing tools such as camera traps offer faster, less invasive alternatives to human observations. These technologies can provide complementary insights into elusive species, especially in habitats that are difficult to access through direct observation. However, analysing the large volumes of data they produce is labour‐intensive, often leaving datasets underutilised due to limited human resources. Deep learning algorithms can automate aspects of data analysis, but their value to research and conservation efforts depends on their ability to reliably identify target species and be easily deployed in field conditions. To improve wildlife monitoring in African forests using camera trap data, we develop DeepForestVision, the first deep learning algorithm tailored to these challenging habitats that can be used in the field to process both photographs and videos. DeepForestVision was trained on an unprecedented dataset of 2,775,671 photographs and 221,982 videos gathered from camera traps from more than 63 research sites across 11 African countries. It identifies 33 non‐human vertebrate taxa, including 31 mammal taxa, from the most common to the most threatened ones observed on ground‐level camera traps, as well as humans, vehicles and blank photographs or videos. Classification tests demonstrate that DeepForestVision achieves an accuracy of 87.7% on the video test set with 23 taxa. It outperforms the three existing species identification algorithms applicable to these environments: Zamba by 13.1%, Mbaza by 45.0% and SpeciesNet by 37.7%. We provide the model weights for researchers and developers and offer DeepForestVision through a free offline interface. The interface is designed to function in the field in a low‐resource setting and requires no programming expertise. Solution : DeepForestVision is a reliable field tool for monitoring species observed on camera trap photos and videos in African tropical forests. Used by research, conservation, private or political actors, it can guide conservation strategies inside and outside of protected areas, and thus contribute to reducing the loss of biodiversity in African tropical forests.

The M4 Wave Energy Demonstrator was deployed in King George Sound, Albany, over southern summer 2024-25. The project was funded by the Blue Economy CRC and State Government of Western Australia, to enhance confidence and knowledge in wave energy. This paper addresses the impact of the project, in terms of the progress made by the M4 concept, the community context of the project, and impact on the international wave energy landscape. Insights drawn from planning, deployment and decommissioning phases of the project will also be discussed. This includes the challenges of international procurement, systems integration and marine operations.

Abstract Studies can only guide conservation if their findings are informative at the scales at which practitioners and policymakers operate. Yet, it is rarely tested whether large-scale studies reach similar conclusions to the smaller-scale studies on which conservation traditionally relies. We examine whether predictors of extinction risk are consistent across global, regional, and local scales, for 210 tropical forest mammal species (≥ 1 kg) that existed during the last 130,000 years, in 64 tropical forests, across three biogeographical realms. We found consistent predictors of extinction risk (body mass, generation length, diet, brain volume and scansoriality) when analyses differed only in their spatial resolution. However, predictors differed when analyses also varied in their temporal extent. Macroecological findings about extinction risk can, thus, inform conservation at smaller scales, but they risk misidentifying threatened species if differences in temporal extent are not recognised.

The double burden of malnutrition (DBM) in sub-Saharan Africa is a pressing public health issue, particularly among children under five years old. DBM encompasses both undernutrition (stunting) and overnutrition (overweight) within the same population, often shaped by socio-economic disparities. Addressing DBM in early childhood is vital, as malnutrition can lead to long-term health, cognitive, and developmental challenges. Using nationally representative data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) across 20 sub-Saharan African countries, this study examines temporal socio-economic inequalities in DBM. Countries include Zimbabwe, Kenya, Nigeria, and Mozambique, among others. DBM was defined using anthropometric measures, while socio-economic status (SES) was categorized as poor, middle, or rich. Temporal trends were analyzed, and inequalities were quantified using Erreygers Normalized Concentration Indices (ENCI) and Theil indices to explore within- and between-group disparities by SES and urban/rural residence. DBM prevalence across countries ranged from 0.2 % to 4.6 %. Declines were noted in Zimbabwe and Kenya. Socio-economic inequalities were significant, with overnutrition increasingly concentrated in wealthier households, while undernutrition remained prevalent among poorer populations. Theil index analyses revealed within-group disparities as the primary drivers of overall inequality, particularly in urban wealthier populations, though rural and low-SES groups also contributed significantly in countries like Senegal and Mali. DBM is still present in sub-Saharan Africa and is driven by socio-economic inequalities. Targeted interventions focusing on improving access to nutritious food, healthcare, and education for vulnerable populations, particularly in rural and low-SES groups, are essential to reduce malnutrition disparities. • Socio-economic Inequality Trends: Overnutrition rises in wealthier households (Kenya, Nigeria), while undernutrition lingers in poorer rural areas. • Shifting DBM Patterns: DBM increased in urban Kenya, Mozambique, Ghana but declined in Zimbabwe, Malawi. • Inequality Decomposition: ENCI & Theil indices show within-group (rural/low-SES) disparities drive DBM inequalities more than between-group. • Rural-Urban Divide: Rural areas (Senegal, Mali) face higher malnutrition; urban inequality grows in Kenya, Nigeria. • SES Gradients: Wealthier households see more overnutrition, poorer ones face undernutrition (e.g., Burundi).

Spinocerebellar ataxia 27B (SCA27B) is a common autosomal dominant ataxia caused by an intronic GAA•TTC repeat expansion in FGF14 . Neuropathological studies have shown that neuronal loss is largely restricted to the cerebellum. Although the repeat locus is highly unstable during intergenerational transmission, it remains unknown whether it exhibits cerebral mosaicism and progressive instability throughout life. We conducted an analysis of the FGF14 GAA•TTC repeat somatic instability across 156 serial blood samples from 69 individuals, fibroblasts, induced pluripotent stem cells, and post-mortem brain tissues from six controls and six patients with SCA27B, alongside methylation profiling using targeted long-read sequencing. Peripheral tissues exhibited minimal somatic instability, which did not significantly change over periods of more than 20 years. In post-mortem brains, the GAA•TTC repeat was remarkably stable across all regions, except in the cerebellar hemispheres and vermis. The levels of somatic expansion in the cerebellar hemispheres and vermis were, on average, 3.15 and 2.72 times greater relative to other examined brain regions, respectively. Additionally, levels of somatic expansion in the brain increased with repeat length and tissue expression of FGF14 . We found no significant difference in methylation of wild-type and expanded FGF14 alleles in post-mortem cerebellar hemispheres between patients and controls. In conclusion, our study revealed that the FGF14 GAA•TTC repeat exhibits a cerebellar-specific expansion bias, which may explain the pure and late-onset cerebellar involvement in SCA27B.

Abstract Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are avid tool users, although tool uses and functions vary among communities. Some chimpanzees use stones or wood in extractive foraging to crack open nuts, whereas others use long stems to consume termites or ants. Leaf sponges are versatile and widespread tools used by chimpanzees, created by crumpling leaves in the mouth and then using the hands to immerse the tool to procure liquids from difficult‐to‐access locations. Here we describe leaf sponge use by two female chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, Uganda, documenting for the first time tool use in the Buraiga chimpanzee community.