Ishasha is home to the largest elephant population in Uganda, creating a fierce competition for land and resources between humans and elephants. Crop raiding is extremely high and has led to substantial economic losses for local communities and ill will towards elephants.

Outside the Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, water becomes a scarce commodity during the dry season. This causes neighboring communities to enter the park to collect water, along with wood and other resources for their domestic use; creating habitat degradation and threat to the survival of the endangered gorillas that call the park home.