During my recent walk in Mabira Forest Reserve, I was greeted by the soothing sounds of insects buzzing, a chorus of birds singing, frogs calling and the sight of colourful butterflies in the air, signs of a thriving natural ecosystem.

Mabira covers 30,000 hectares in the districts of Mukono, Buikwe and Kayunga in central Uganda. It is the sixth largest forest in Uganda, and was the first to be gazetted as a forest reserve in 1932 by the British colonial government.

Located 56 kilometres east of the capital on the Kampala-Jinja highway, Mabira is an attraction for both local and international tourists who wish to enjoy nature walks, bird watching and see the butterflies. The forest is home to a number of endangered species, some of which can only be found here.

A butterfly in the forest. PHOTO | MORGAN MBABAZI | NMG

I took the 22-km tourist Red Trail that criss-crosses through several sections of the forest, enjoying the beauty and tranquility of the forest.

During the slow walk on the well maintained Red Trail, I was amazed by the giant ancient indigenous trees that are a source of food, medicine and poison.

I learnt that some trees are used for herbal medicine and concoctions believed to have powers to make warriors invincible (think Maji Maji rebellion). Others are used to restore fertility, and others as aphrodisiacs.

Mabira is home to over 312 species of trees that include the endangered Mukebu (Cordia milllenii), Mvule (Melicia), Musambya (Markhamia), Mahogany (Khaya anthotheca), Entesesa (Prunus africana), Mugavu (Albizia), Mililia exclesa, and the famous Warbhugia ugandenesis, known for its medicinal properties.

READ: Haven of peace in Mabira forest

Endangered species

“The Mukebu is endangered because it is in high demand for its timber to make canoes and traditional music instruments,” one of our tour guides, Benson Kiplangat said, quickly adding: “It is among the important species in our restoration project because it has long lasting timber and is a water resistant tree that does not rot.”

According to Kiplangat, the other plant in high demand is the rubber tree. “We cannot arrest everyone who illegally cuts trees here because some do it at night. The rubber tree is in high demand for casting beams and face boards for houses.

The advantage is that it drops a lot of seeds so it can quickly germinate. The disadvantage is the wastage or unsustainable harvesting because illegal loggers are only interested in the lower log,” he said.

Mr Kiplangat says they have come across the dangerous climber shrub that grows using other trees as support in order to gain access to sunlight. The trees are supposed to be cut off as the climbers entangle and kill trees.

The natural grass canopy has some Leapsis shrubs where guinea fowls lay and hatch their eggs. “This shrub is loved by guinea fowls for the protection of their chicks from kites,” another tour guide, Jimmy Ayikobua said.

There are several ripe fruits that have dropped from the trees including the Balanites wilsoniano and the Mimusops bagshawei, which is liked by primates because of its richness in fat.

Bird watching

Bird watchers can catch 315 species of birds including the Yellow and Grey Longbills, the Forest Wood Hoopoe, the Purple-throated cuckoo, Illadopsis, the Tit hylia, Jameson’s wattle eyes, Nahan’s francolin, the red headed blue bill, the Cassin hawk eagle, the Shining-blue kingfisher, and the black-bellied seed cracker.

At least 46 per cent of Uganda’s forest birds can be found in Mabira, more than in any other forest in the country.

Uganda has the largest number of bird species of any country in Africa — 1,017 — constituting more than 10 per cent of the world’s species, and half of Africa’s.

One can also find 218 butterfly species, 97 moth species, 23 small mammal species like forest duikers, red-tailed monkeys, and the endangered primate, the Grey-cheeked Mangabey (Lophocebus ugandae).

Biologists have identified this species of Mangabey as unique to Uganda.  

Elephants and buffaloes became extinct in Mabira in 1950 and 1960 respectively.

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