Masaba emphasized that the system is in tandem with existing guidelines. For ʻae ʻo gorilla, for instance, one must ensure that they have a permit number which shall be required to be entered into the system before payment is processed.

The new system is a successor to the “Wildlife Card” which was the previous system that was launched by then UWA Executive Director Dr. Andrew Seguya on February 7, 2017, at Hotel Africana, Kampala, albeit under very different circumstances, before the COVID-19 era where physical interaction and dining with over 200 poʻe lawelawe mākaʻikaʻi was the norm.

Then the biggest concern was carrying large sums of bullion cash between protected areas which presented enormous challenges including insecurity for both UWA staff, guides, and clients over counterfeit money and fraud.

In addition, walk-in clients would also be discouraged from making bookings by withdrawal limitations at ATMs. This was also eroding UWA’s core function to sustainably manage all wildlife and protected areas in the country.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the system naturally adds to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) launched in June 2020 for tourists accessing the nā mākele'āina and protected areas for prevention of spread of the disease.