Rubondo Island was gazetted officially as National Park in 1977. It is an important breeding ground for both migratory bird and fish species especially Tilapia and Nile perch as for a long time it stood to be the only area in the waters of Lake Victoria which was well protected and preserved.
About 80% of the park is covered by a dense forest thus providing a variety of habitats for indigenous wildlife such as Sitatunga, hippos, bush bucks, velvet monkeys, genet cats, crocodiles, bush pigs etc sharing the ecological niches with the introduced species such as chimpanzees, elephants, giraffes, black and white colubous monkeys, suni and African grey parrots.
The park is bestowed with magnificent attractions that tourist can enjoy these include diversity of wild life including elephants, giraffes, bushbucks, hippos, yellow-spotted otters, crocodiles, chimpanzee, sitatunga and offers best fish breeding sites. other attractions are birds diversity with more than 400 species of nesting birds resides the park. The grey parrot, introduced in 2000 when 34 birds were rescued from illegal trade, is a spectacular newcomer. Another noisy specimen is the African fish eagle.
Chimpanzees – currently being habituated – few Chimps are now used for tourism Habituation Experience (CHEX). One can travel by car to Chimps’ areas and joining chimps’ habituation crew and be a part of habituators.
Other mammals: Other mammals that are frequently seen are Giraffes, Hippopotamus, Sported necked Otter, Bushbucks and Velvet Monkeys. Colobous monkeys, Genet Cats, Marsh Mongoose, Suni and Elephants.