ENTEBBE — The Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC) has named the male Bengal White tiger ‘Yura’.
Yura (male) and another tiger (female) at UWEC were imported into the country on March 7, 2020 from South Africa in exchange for 25 monkeys before animal centre invited individuals, companies to take up the guardianship role of the two big cats.
Yuti Breweries Ltd under their flagship beverage brand Yura Beer on weekend signed an agreement with UWEC that gives them the naming rights for the White Tiger in the Entebbe zoo hence naming the White tiger YURA
Yuti Breweries also contributed UGX.30m towards conservation and animal welfare at Entebbe Zoo.
Mr. Punit Shah, the Managing Director of Yuti Breweries pledged to have his company continue engaging in conservation activities and donations every year in order to inculcate awareness among the public on the importance of protecting and conserving the endangered species.
He said that, Yura, the biggest of two existing tigers, symbolises leadership, strength, majesty and fearlessness.
He urged Ugandans and foreigners to visit the Entebbe Zoo and watch the tigers as well as a host of other wildlife in their fenced enclosures such that we can all
contribute towards the welfare of all the animals.
According to Eric Ntalumbwa, the UWEC public relations manager, each of the two tigers consumes between 8-10kg of meat everyday among other foods such as chicken and liver, equivalent to a cost of sh150,000 per day.
Uganda remains the first East African country to accommodate tigers, which last existed in the 1970s.
Vincent Kalanzi, who used to work at Entebbe zoo from 1972 to 1976, said the last tiger at the zoo was shot dead in the 1970s after escaping from its enclosure and injuring one person.
Uganda is home to other big cats including lions, leopards, and cheetahs.
