Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC) formerly known as Entebbe Zoo revealed Saturday the name of their white Bengal Tiger.
The White Tiger was named, Yura during a brief ceremony following a partnership between UWEC and local beer makers, Yuti Breweries Limited (YBL). Enclosed in the deal is UGX 30 million which will support animal welfare at the Zoo.
The name Yura is synonymous with beauty according to the YBL Managing Director, Punit Shah, and also name to their flagship beverage, Yura Gold Beer.
“We will make sure to have activities and donations every year to inculcate awareness among the public on the importance of protecting, preserving, and conserving this endangered species while ensuring that our sponsorship package is upheld,” Shah said
Shah also told members of the press that taking up the chance to name the Tiger was a no-brainer for them since the magnificent creature symbolises leadership, strength, majesty and fearlessness just like Yura Beer.
Eric Ntalumbwa, who is the UWEC spokesperson revealed the centre spends at least UGX 150,000 per day to feed the two tigers. ” Each of the two tigers consumes between 8-10kgs of fresh meat per day, including others foods like chicken and liver,” he said.
Ntalumbwa also appealed to organisations and members of the general public to come up and ‘baptize’ the remaining orange-striped tiger.
Tigers and UWEC:
Two Bengal tigers (male and female) from South Africa’s Mystic Monkeys and Feathers Wildlife Park arrived at the Centre on 7th March 2020 after exchanging 25 Colobus and De Brazzas monkeys which are plentiful in Uganda.
For almost 50years the Centre was without the species after the last tiger was put down in the 70s after escaping from it’s enclosure and killing one person according to Vincent Kalanzi who worked as a store keeper at UWEC from 1972 to 1976.
Uganda is the only country in East and Subsaharan Africa to house tigers.
Zookeepers at UWEC hope the 3.9-year-old tigers will ‘hit it off’ and go on to have cubs when they turn five.
The orange-striped female tiger is yet to be named.
About Tigers:
Tigers also called Panthera Tigris (scientific name) have an estimated population between 3700-4700 globally. They are native to India, Nepal, Bhutan, Russia and China among other countries in Asia.
Tigers generally gain independence at around two years of age and attain sexual maturity at age three or four for females and four or five years for males. Tigers have been known to reach up to 20 years of age in the wild.
In the wild, Bengal tiger habitats are tropical rainforests, marshes, and tall grasses. Tigers rest in the shade during the day and hunt at dusk or dawn. The Bengal tigers have been spotted in the shade or around bodies of water to cool off.
About The Author
