The government of Uganda has hailed scientists for the new discovery into the history of Uganda and its creatures.

According to state minister for tourism Jaff Akiror Egunyu, the discovery of an Ape’s skull which has lived for the last 20 million years ago is a major development which she says will go a long way in boasting the country’s tourism potential.

Addressing journalists at Media Center, Akiror says there are many other important discoveries that are yet to be made public and that very soon these will also be unveiled so that the public gets to know more about the country’s rich heritage and history.

She says government is now going to ensure that all sites such as Napak where the skull was discovered are well protected from charcoal burners and agriculturalists and such areas be turned into a tourism area.

The discovery was made recently by French and Uganda scientists who included Dr. Bridgette Senut, Dr. Martin Pickford (France) and Ezra Musiime and Sarah Musharizi. They say the pig species of the old times are now extinct.

The Ape’s skull which is said to be 20m years old was discovered in the Karamoja district of Napak on Mt. Napak, where according to Dr. Senut even more discoveries of parts of animals like pigs, elephants, snakes, crocodiles, millipedes, tortoise which are not exactly looking like the ones we have today have also been made.

She says the crocodiles that time were very small, elephants were of different species and the pigs also looked a bit different.

Dr. Pickford who took scribes through the road leading to the discovery of the Ape’s skull stated that according to their findings, the environment in Karamoja where these Apes lived 20 million years ago was very forested, but now it has been destroyed.

He said that the skull is going to be taken to France for further studies, documentations and cleaning after which it will be returned to Uganda after a period of one year.

Ultimate Media