Uganda is home to the world’s most iconic mammals, including the African bush (savannah) and forest elephants. However, offences of poaching and illegal wildlife trade of protected wildlife species, including elephants, are rampant. The species illegally traded in Uganda include elephant ivory. Uganda is also an important transit route for many illicit wildlife products, especially elephant ivory. There is evidence of elephant ivory transiting through Uganda and of repackaging and partial processing of elephant ivory occurring in the country. Whereas the destination for the elephant specimens is not clearly known, the source is the wild, and to have the specimens, elephants must die.

Despite the enactment of statutes prohibiting wildlife crime in Uganda and the country's being a party to international treaties banning trade in certain wildlife species, the illegal wildlife trade continues to thrive. Illegal wildlife trade is a serious problem that devastates wildlife and has led to the depletion of many species in Uganda. Uganda’s elephant population nearly went into total extinction in the 1980s. The population is only recovering.

Sadly, whereas wildlife crime has long existed in Uganda, most cases were previously not reported, not investigated, not prosecuted, and therefore most criminals were not punished. However, with the establishment of the Standards, Utilities, and Wildlife Court, commonly known as the Uganda Wildlife Court, wildlife cases are registered, and offenders are held accountable for their wrongful acts. A record of wildlife cases can therefore be obtained from the court, analyzed, and used to inform meaningful interventions in the fight against wildlife crime.

Help African Animals received a grant of $5000 to support the monitoring of cases involving elephants that were filed at the Uganda Wildlife Court between 2016 and December 2024. The grant period was from 12th January to 31st October 2025. During the grant period, two lawyers from Help African Animals travelled to the court daily. They attended court proceedings to follow up on cases, documented relevant information, and collected data from completed case files.

The aim of the court monitoring was to collect relevant data and analyse it. The data will be used to measure the effectiveness of the criminal justice system, map current and emerging trends in illegal wildlife trade and the utilization of elephants and their body parts in Uganda, and to inform subsequent interventions to protect African elephants not only in Uganda but across Africa, as elephants do not recognize borders. The collected data was analysed, and a report was generated. The findings will be used in coming up with appropriate interventions that save elephants.