RIP Derek Pomeroy, a leading figure in Ugandan ornithology, who died in May 2025, aged 90.
PHOTO. Marabou storks along the railway line near Namuwongo Kampala. Credit: Achilles Byaruhanga.
Diary of a Muzungu writes: At last week’s Nature Uganda annual general meeting in Kampala, members learned with sadness of the passing of one of Uganda’s pioneer conservationists: Derek Pomeroy was the first ever chairman of Nature Uganda. NU’s Executive Director Achilles Byaruhanga called for a moment of silence: “Professor Pomeroy was the father of birds and birding in Uganda. He mentored and trained so many of us.”
Below is an article by Rhett Ayers Butler, Founder of Mongabay, dated May 31 2025:
If Derek Pomeroy said to meet him at 7am, you were expected to be there by exactly 7am—not a minute later. Punctuality was not just a preference; it was a principle. Whether in a zoology lab, a birdwatching field station, or over tea at Makerere University, order and discipline mattered. Behind that exacting standard, however, was a deeper devotion: to science, to Uganda’s biodiversity, and above all, to the generations of African conservationists he helped train and shape.
Pomeroy arrived in Uganda in 1969 to study marabou storks. He stayed for most of his life. What began as ornithological curiosity became a lifelong project of institution-building, mentoring, and record-keeping. His field notes on birds, gathered across decades, became the backbone of the Bird Atlas of Uganda and the National Biodiversity Data Bank. He played a pivotal role in founding the Makerere University Institute of Environment and Natural Resources (MUIENR), a center that now shapes the country’s environmental policy and research.
Through civil unrest, political transitions, and global shifts in conservation priorities, Pomeroy remained a constant. He trained hundreds of students—many of whom now lead major conservation efforts in Uganda and beyond. His greatest legacy may not lie in peer-reviewed journals or global assessments, but in the lives he shaped. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, one of Uganda’s leading wildlife veterinarians, remembered him as a mentor who encouraged her earliest efforts and celebrated her success. Edward Okot Omoya, now a professor, put it simply: “He was more than a supervisor. He was a father figure.” Others recall how he secured funding for dozens of students who might never have studied conservation otherwise. From senior professors to field biologists just starting out, the story was the same: a demanding, generous, and utterly committed teacher.
He published widely, including on bird population dynamics, wetland ecology, and biodiversity indicators, often ahead of global trends. His research illuminated the effects of agriculture on wildlife long before “sustainable landscapes” became a buzzword. A member of the IUCN’s Stork, Ibis, and Spoonbill Specialist Group, he saw local data as vital to global conservation.
Even in his final years, his curiosity never waned. At 88, he was still in the field, counting vultures in Murchison Falls National Park. He was working on several papers when he died.
“He never stopped being interested in life,” wrote Andrew Plumptre, Head of the Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) Secretariat.
Pomeroy returned to the UK only in 2023. He died, fittingly, with his work unfinished but well-laid for others to continue. In a region where expertise was once exported, he helped root it firmly in place. For many, Derek Pomeroy didn’t just teach the study of birds. He taught them to stay, to build, and to give back.
Uganda’s conservation community has been sharing condolence messages that speak of the Professor’s impact:
- Ooh my!..sad to hear the passing on of Prof. Pomeroy…. He build such an admirable legacy in biodiversity conservation, natural resources management in Uganda & particularly at Makerere University…… personally he played a very key role in who I am today from MUIENR to Bwindi etc…..MHSRIP (Robert Bitariho)
- Oh no, a legend and huge influence to many of us. A big loss. Very sad. (Michael Keigwin, Uganda Conservation Foundation)
- Fare well Derek! We shall always remember you whenever we see karolis soaring above scanning for filth below & then doing the much undervalued dirty biosanitation work PRO BONO PUBLICO. They will lift & carry your spirit that opened our eyes! (Dr Ludwig Siefert, Uganda Carnivore Programme).
- Prof. Derek transformed the postgraduate training system at Makerere University and conservation of birds in Uganda. Another giant in conservation gone so early. Rest in peace Derek. (Bintoora)
- May his soul rest in peace. I first met him on a trip to Lake Mburo National Park in ’99. He was leading our birding trip and everyone was on tenterhooks because of his strict timekeeping! (Padjo Musiime)
- What a big loss to the conservation fraternity. The bird guru really served this country with passion. (Dom)
I’m sad that the conservation legend Derek has passed on. I know that death is a fact of life in this world. but I also know that the passing of such a great dedicated person leaves a huge gap in the conservation fraternity. I therefore mourn because of the vacuum left behind. but should it be a vacuum?
Derek stood with Uganda in his youthful days when the country was bleeding because of misrule. when expatriates were scampering for dear life during Amin’s time Derek stood his grounds and stayed in zoology department of Makerere University. Many scholars passed through his hands and I believe there many Ugandans in high positions in this country who were his students. he built human capacity. in conservation, he played a key role in promoting conservation studies and research for management. he was an authority on birds and ecological related issues of protected areas. he empowered protected areas managers by appreciating their skills and their potential. he was always there in time when. he was needed. in lake Mburo, he had his campsite where he pitched his tents, often with his students to undertake his monitoring programs. he lived a modest life and fitted well in our conservation economics situation.
so instead of mourning Derek, I suggest that the capacity he has left should stand up to be counted and ensure his legacy lives on. I think Derek was more than a lecturer or bird lover. he loved Uganda and was deeply committed to its natural resources. let’s celebrate his legacy, let’s promote the values he cherished.
Nature Uganda could establish a regular Pomeroy lecture series so that his legacy lives on and young conservationist learn more about him. May his soul rest eternally. Arthur Mugisha (Fauna & Flora)
Diary of a Muzungu adds: I arrived in Uganda in 2009 as a VSO with the Uganda Conservation Foundation. I’ve since offered pro bono support to numerous conservation organisations including Conservation Through Public Health, NatureUganda and In the Shadow of Chimpanzees NGO (at Sunbird Hill), as well as the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Although I didn’t know the Prof, his name was frequently mentioned by ornithologist friends.
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