DR WATUWA JAMES
Dr. Watuwa James is a founder of Endangered Wildlife Conservation Organization -EWCO and serves as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He is a wildlife veterinarian and Conservationist.
He co- leads EWCO’s efforts to explore, document, and protect Uganda’s most threatened species and habitats. Dr. James has vast experience in wildlife veterinary medicine and conservation.
He holds a Masters Certificate in Grant writing and designing Impact Based Conservation Projects from the Tropical Biology Association (TBA 2018) and also a Masters Degree in Wildlife Health Management and Conservation of Makerere University Uganda.
He is particularly focused on mammal conservation and priority setting for biodiversity conservation.
MEET 2019 WCNSCHOLAR JAMES WATUWA
In Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda, wildlife veterinarian and WCN 2019 scholarship recipient Dr.James Watuwa works quickly to free a baby African bush elephant from a snare. As the mother paces and trumpets nearby, James gently untangles the long, looped piece of wire cutting into the elephant’s hind leg and treats the wound with antibiotics.
Once finished, he steps away quickly, giving the mother ample space to safely rejoin her baby. As James watches the two of them disappear into the forest, he worries about other hidden snares in the wildlife refuge. Oil exploration activities are increasing in the elephants’ habitat.
With mining infrastructure degrading their natural habitat, elephants are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation and are susceptible to parasites and extreme stress from this kind of encroachment
The African bush elephant (Loxodanta africana), also known as the African Savanna elephant, is the largest living land mammal. Weighing up to seven tons, these highly social animals travel in herds through forests, wetlands, woodlands, grasslands, and agricultural areas, ranging in 37 countries in southern, eastern, and central Africa.
Habitat destruction and poaching pose the gravest threats. Listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, elephants are rapidly disappearing from the wild. Unless urgent international action is taken, they may be gone within a generation.
Growing up in the Manafwa District of Uganda, James volunteered at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre and was mentored by animal keepers who encouraged him to consider a career in veterinary medicine.
Inspired, he earned his bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine at Makerere University Uganda, working under the guidance of senior veterinarians from Gorilla Doctors, Uganda Wildlife Authority, and Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre also known as Entebbe Zoo and Conservation Through Public Health.
In 2018 while working with International Gorilla Conservation Program as a team leader for the mountain gorilla census, sweeping through forests, finding gorilla trails and night nests, and collecting gorilla fecal Samples for analysis.
Now earning his MSc in Wildlife Health and Management – wildlife clinical medicine track – at Makerere University Kampala, James brings a wealth of experience rescuing snared animals, collaring elephants and lions, leading park ranger training to improve gorilla health monitoring, leading a stress hormone strip project, and working to reduce human-related threats to gorillas in the Bwindi Project by strengthening the capacity of rangers and volunteer teams to safely drive gorillas back to the park when they’re found foraging in community land.
He is also to studying the effect of oil exploration activities on African bush elephants, looking at variation in stress levels and helminths (parasitic worms) burden. Knowing that community engagement is key to successful wildlife conservation efforts, James started a community-based conservation organization: the Endangered Wildlife Conservation Organization.(EWCO-Uganda) Wildlife veterinarians are desperately needed in greater East Africa and James is working as a wildlife veterinarian and conservation researcher to address some of Uganda’s most urgent wildlife and conservation priorities, such as providing accurate health diagnosis, analysis, and prevention strategies, leading de-snaring interventions, offering wildlife health core and veterinary support in protected areas and on the front lines of communities, and more.
He also plans to lead the wildlife veterinary component of the comprehensive human-carnivore conflict mitigation around Queen Elizabeth National Park and foster community-based approaches to managing protected areas, for example, the participation of local communities in monitoring gorilla crop raiding.
What Other International WildLife Conservation Bodies Say About Dr. James Watuwa
Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation Featured Dr. James on their WEbsite when He was Nominated for Africa Chapter 2019 Nominations
Dr. James was also Featured on Amphibian Survival Alliance Website when he Won the Future Leaders Award
Other Websites Dr Watuwa has Contributed content to
With his extensive background in veterinary medicine, wildlife conservation, and project management, he has cultivated a discerning eye for detail and a fervent commitment to ensuring the accuracy and reliability of all information disseminated.
In his other roles and capacities, he bears the responsibility of meticulously writing content, verifying and rigorously fact-checking all content, rigorously ensuring its foundation in trustworthy sources, and adhering to the elevated standards set by:
1)https://spideridentifications.com/ – Dr. James Watuwa has significantly contributed to spideridentifications.com with his detailed articles and rigorous fact-checking, ensuring the website’s accuracy and reliability for its users.
2. https://www.butterflyidentification.com/ – Dr. James Watuwa has played a pivotal role in enriching butterflyidentification.com with his insightful articles and meticulous fact-checking, bolstering the site’s reputation for accuracy and trustworthiness.
3 https://www.101dogbreeds.com/ – Dr. James Watuwa, a seasoned veterinarian with intimate knowledge of the canine world, has been instrumental in elevating 101dogbreeds.com. Through his comprehensive veterinary knowlwdge
He is profoundly enthused to be a member of a team ardently dedicated to furnishing pet owners with the most exceptional information and resources available to nurture their cherished animal companions.