SEB-LEK (Sebitoli Ecological Biodiversity – Local Ecological Knowledge): Dataset on a Research Project Staff Knowledge of Local Taxa and Encounter Frequencies in Kibale National Park, Uganda

SEB-LEK documents local ecological knowledge of forest vertebrates among research and conservation staff working in Sebitoli, Kibale National Park in Uganda. Using a two-step group survey, participants identified vertebrate taxa from visual and auditory cues and reported ordinal encounter frequencies for seeing and hearing each taxon. Responses were collected in English and the local language, Rutooro. The dataset comprises identification responses and encounter-frequency ratings for 54 taxa. It enables comparative analyses of human knowledge, biodiversity monitoring methods, and ethnozoological research. Beyond its applications in the analysis of biodiversity, the dataset documents vernacular naming practices and patterns of local ecological knowledge in Rutooro, which provides a valuable resource for linguistic, anthropological, and ethnobiological research. It enables studies analyzing how environmental knowledge is structured within a language and its cultural contexts. It also provides data for comparative analyses of human–environment relationships.