Giraffes given a new home in Uganda to escape oil drilling in the country's largest park

MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK, Uganda — On a cold morning in Uganda’s largest national park, rangers chat and sing to lift their spirits ahead of the start of a daunting wildlife project considered critical to conservation: moving the Nubian giraffe to a new home.

Rangers at Murchison Falls National Park on Tuesday began to translocate 12 endangered Nubian giraffes, Earth's tallest land mammal, 106 kilometers (65 miles) to Ajai Wildlife Reserve.

The project, expected to last a couple of days, is intended to preserve the species’ population, enhance biodiversity and diversify tourism opportunities.

An estimated 40% of Uganda’s oil deposits are in the Murchison Falls area and within the park.

In recent months, there have been increased oil drilling activities including heavy machinery movement through the national park despite years of opposition from environmentalists.

Uganda is pushing to produce its first oil from the area.

In June 2023, TotalEnergies officially began drilling for oil in the Tilenga project area within the park.

Patrick Atimnedi, the Uganda Wildlife Authority as ...