Chimpanzee Sanctuary & Wildlife Conservation Trust was recognized to be among the leaders in chimpanzee-focused environmental conservation, providing excellent care of rescued chimpanzees, contribution to public awareness and understanding of conservation issues, providing eco-tourism services, and engaging with communities living alongside chimpanzee populations
CSWCT was established in 1998 and registered as a Non Governmental Organization. CSWCT’s mission is to promote the understanding, appreciation, and conservation of chimpanzees and their habitats in particular and wildlife in general.
In pursuing the mission, CSWCT strives to: promote the welfare of chimpanzees, both in captivity and in the wild facilitate non-invasive research into chimpanzee behaviour assist communities living with chimpanzees as neighbours to value and benefit from their proximity. ‘
- create a nature-friendly public
- advocate policies favourable to the chimpanzee and wildlife conservation
- build viable local, national, regional, and international partnerships and networks for chimpanzee-focused environmental conservation
CSWCT is funded through donations and ecotourism revenue.
CSWCT secured Ngamba Island (98 acres) and established a sanctuary to take care of orphaned and rescued chimpanzees who were a result of bush meat trade and pet trade . Currently, CSWCT is caring for 44 orphaned rescued chimpanzees at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary. In partnership with other organizations, CSWCT is undertaking environmental education through out the country. Research and community development programs being implemented by CSWCT covers 10 fishing villages on Lake Victoria, islands neighbouring Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and three districts in Western Uganda in the Albertine Rift, with communities living adjacent to the forests with chimpanzees in the wild.
CSWCT provides Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary project as a tourist destination,with very unique experiences of facilities and wildlife viewing and interactions for visitors. Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary receives upto 5,000 international tourists a year. CSWCT provides a lead in enabling the tour operators who bring visitors to Ngamba to be cautious and observe strict health protocols. The tour operators who provide logistics for the tourists’ required visits to Ngamba Island strictly follow our Environmental Policy that emphasizes “Green Chain Supply”.
On an annual basis we organize two familiarization trips for the tourism fraternity to learn from our operational system and take the knowledge and models of facilities to their other operations. Our brochure “Being a Responsible Tourist” gives information on rules and guidelines on best behaviours as a tourist, what souvenirs to buy, illegal trade in wildlife species and making a difference by respecting the local culture. Ngamba Island is a model on different systems and facilities in use that provides education and skill and knowledge transfer to various people and companies.
CSWCT's next priority for sustainable tourism is to increase benefits to local people through equitable sharing of returns from ecotourism. We seek to reach the most vulnerable communities adjacent to chimpanzee habitats with funds raised from ecotourism activities and funds raised from fundraising activities/events. Coupled with conservation education and by involving and reaching local people we focus on creating awareness about our environment in a simple and relevant means. We aim at making the messages challenging but encouraging to causing positive actions. We will integrate this with community-based tourism by making tourism relevant to poor communities. Make it as an incentive for private forest management where local people get benefits from protecting their private forests that are habitat to chimpanzee conservation and at the same time mitigate other impacts on the environment.
CSWCT is launching a one year Tree Planting Campaign to supplement the Natural Forest restoration, re-forestation and conservation programs in Uganda. The campaign will feature a Tree Planting Festival, 3 days Conservation Exhibition, Conservation Concert and Tree Planting Week. In addition, we are launching our planned re-introduction program of some of the rescued chimpanzees back to the wild as part of enhancing in-situ conservation.
For more information contact:
Executive Director
Chimpanzee Sanctuary & Wildlife Conservation Trust
24 Lugard Avenue, Entebbe
P.O. Box 884, Entebbe
Telephone: +256 414 320662, Mobile: +256 772 221 537
Fax: +256 414 321 737Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
