19 August 2025

Uganda June/July 2025

My trip to Uganda with Harrier Tours which resulted in 74 species seen.

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Uganda Trip Report

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Chrissy Mason
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10 Comments

  • 20 August 2025
    Lennartv

    Great report! It’s funny for me because I have just returned from a Uganda trip with pretty much the exact same itenerary, however in reversed order. Congratulations on the pangolin in Murchison! However I suspect it is probably a Giant Pangolin as they replace Ground Pangolin in this area as far as I’ve understood. I just wanted to bring this to your attention. Also Silver and Golden monkey are both still a subspecies of Blue as far as I know.

    Great list though! Many familiar species for me and even some extra added to that! I am curious what you made of the jackals in Kidepo. I see you have noted down Black-backed Jackal, yet it doesn’t look like at typical one to me and I suspect I might have seen the same animal. One or a few were hanging around the ranger station where we had to arrange our access. Our ranger said it was Golden Jackal because of the black tailtip (opposed to Side-striped). However I also saw one on the Savannah that looked like a typical Side-striped to me even though it did have a black tail. I am not yet sure what to make of this, but if you have any insights on this I would appreciate it! That will help me to draft my own report, in a couple of months or so :).

    • 20 August 2025
      Chrissynvb

      Hi Lennart, Thanks for the information, as I am still very much learning. I was unsure about the jackal as well. I have seen Black-backed and these in Uganda looked different, but the all black tail is what my guide said differentiated the two. To me they look more like Side-striped.

    • 21 August 2025
      Michael Johnson

      I think locally the golden monkey is promoted locally as a full species, as the Ugandan Wildlife Authority runs a trek to see them. Not that it matters, a beautiful animal well worth seeing whatever the status.

  • 20 August 2025
    Charles Foley

    Great report indeed and a seriously good haul of mammal species. I can confirm from the photos that the jackal you saw was a Side striped. The pangolin definitely looks like a Ground to me; the Giant typically has a quadrupedal stance. Excellent sighting. And lastly, I’m pretty certain your ‘Bush hyrax’ is a Southern tree hyrax.

    1
  • 20 August 2025
    Chrissynvb

    Thank you very much Charles.

  • 20 August 2025
    tomeslice

    Great report indeed!
    Lennart is right that typically Ground pangolin is replaced by Giant pangolin in Murchison Falls, but in addition to Charles’s remarks, I’ve recently seen a paper on the co-existence of (Temminck’s) ground pangolins and Giant pangolins in Murchison. And indeed that one looks like a ground pangolin.
    Amazing find!
    Cheers!
    Tomer

  • 21 August 2025
    Michael Johnson

    This report brought back great memories, as I did an almost identical tour with Harrier Tours in 2023. Sam was one of our guides, as well. Fantastic guy, we really enjoyed his company. Ironically, we also experienced vehicle problems at Murchison Falls which also resulted in a delay.

    • 21 August 2025
      Michael Johnson

      Should have said I am very envious of your pangolin and anomalure, though.

      • 21 August 2025
        Lennartv

        If you were to return to Uganda you may find anomalure to be more easier than usual because at Semliki there is a roosting tree at the moment that a single animal has been using for at least 1,5 years. I will put more details in my own report, but for me it was an easy way to see this species. However the rangers show it to everone around, so with a lot of attention (especially in the weekends) it gets sometimes spooked. But it seems to return every time.

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  • 25 August 2025
    Jon Hall

    What a great trip! Very envious of your Ground Pangolin

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