Training:
Uganda courses & information
TBA courses in Kibale Forest, Uganda
Kibale Forest
Kibale Forest forms part of Kibale National Park which covers 766km2 and is situated in western Uganda just above the equator. It is close to the Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Semliki National Park, the Ruwenzori Mountains and lies adjacent to the western arm of Africa's Rift Valley.
Lying between altitudes 1,110m in the south and 1,590m in the north, Kibale has been classified as a moist evergreen forest which has strong affinities with both montane forest and mixed tropical deciduous Forest. The Park contains a mosaic of habitats including wetlands and grasslands.
Kibale Forest has the highest density of primates anywhere in the world (11 species, including chimpanzees, Uganda red colobus, black and white colobus, blue monkeys, red-tail monkeys, L'Hoest's monkey, grey-cheeked mangabeys and three species of prosimian) Over 300 birds have been recorded. The insect life has not been described adequately — yet. An estimated 229 tree species are found in the Park, and reach over 55m in height forming a semi-closed canopy. Kibale has been a centre for field research (mainly on primates and on the effects of logging) for the last 25 years.
Makerere University Biological Field Station
The courses are based at the Makerere University Biological Field Station in the north of Kibale Forest. Known to most people as MUBFS, the field station hosts field trips as well as researchers working in the forest throughout the year. It lies 20km from the provincial capital Fort Portal, our nearest town with market, post office, bank, etc. There are approximately 150 km of mapped trails in the forest near the field station, so you can reach most areas on foot. The trails run through a variety of habitats including streams and swamps. Participants sleep in four-bed dormitories and share common toilet (pit latrine) and washing facilities. The station has a communal eating area and veranda for socialising and informal seminars, a library, and a laboratory. Computers are available. 
Climate & Communications
Rainfall averages 1, 475mm and although there are two rainy seasons a year,rainfall is very variable. Mean annual temperatures are around 24°C max.and 16 °C min. We run courses in Kibale during the "dry months" but you should certainly come prepared to get wet. There is a public telephone at the field station that sometimes works but the best means of communication is through fax from Fort Portal. A vehicle usually goes into the post office to send and receive mail every 2- 3 days.
Course Structure
The first week of the course introduces Kibale's flora and fauna during identification workshops and field exercises. Evening lectures and seminars cover selected topics in tropical ecology, focusing on the expertise of the teaching staff present. A short excursion to nearby Queen Elizabeth National Park takes place during the second week. Set in spectacular scenery on the floor ofthe Western Rift, QENP sprawls between the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains and two of the great Rift Valley lakes, George and Albert. Habitats range from papyrus swamp to dense forest, including extensive areas of open and thicketed grassland. This short visit is intended as an introduction to savanna ecology and management issues of savanna parks. The remainder of the course is devoted to independent research projects carried out in pairs. Projects are written up in full and presented to the class as short research papers. Evening lectures and research talks continue throughout. We expect you will find the course intensive but since you may not get an opportunity to learn about tropical ecology in such a unique setting again, we think we should make the most of the time you have available.
Project reports
Below are the abstracts of all students projects that were carried out in Uganda on previous TBA courses. Click on the subject matter to view.
Ants (pdf)
Beetles (pdf)
Birds (pdf)
Butterflies (pdf)
Fish (pdf)
Forest ecology: human impact (pdf)
Forest ecology: logging (pdf)
Grasshoppers and locusts (pdf)
Herpetology (pdf)
Invertebrates: fig wasps (pdf)
Invertebrates: general (pdf)
Invertebrates: pollination (pdf)
Mammals (pdf)
People, tourism and ethnobotany (pdf)
Plant and forest ecology (pdf)
Plant ecology: abundance and distribution (pdf)
Plant ecology: herbivory (pdf)
Plant ecology: invasives (pdf)
Plant ecology: morphology (pdf)
Plant ecology: pollination (pdf)
Draft timetable
The below course timetable for Uganda is an example taken from a previous course. The structure and contents of each course are different and dependent on the area of expertise of the core teachers and visiting lecturers present. Please use this as an overall guide not as the definite programme.
Uganda course timetable (pdf)
Useful information for the site
Below is additional useful bits of information on the fauna and flora at the Kibale site. More to be added.
Kibale bird checklist
Kibale bird families
Course guide
Here is the general introduction course guide
And here is the specific course guide for Uganda.