RUBIRIZI– Tragedy hit staff at Queen Elizabeth National Park and the country at large after three lionesses died Tuesday morning as they encountered an electric fence of nearby Irungu hotel that hosts tourists.
Bashir Hangi, Communications Manager UWA, said the three lionesses were found dead in Katunguru Ruburizi district.
“Uganda wildlife Authority has lost three lionesses; one adult and two sub adults around Kigabu Village in Katunguru, Rubirizi district,” Hangi said in a press statement.
Hangi said the lionesses were found dead on an electric fence, with two still stuck on electric wires.
“Much as the actual cause of death is yet to be established, we suspect electrocution,” said Hangi.
He said that a post-mortem on the dead lionesses will be done to ascertain the actual cause of death and the public will be informed about the outcome of the post-mortem.
“By the time we left the scene, Rubirizi Police was informed to aid investigations about the unfortunate incident.”
This is not the first time the park is losing its wild species though most of the time the park officials put the blame on poachers who hunt the animals for meat and other items such as ivory, horns among others.
Some residents the Cooperator spoke to blamed UWA for letting the wild animals to encroach on their gardens and homesteads, killing livestock and destroying plantations.
“This was a tit- for- tat game. You cannot imagine how many of my goats they [dead lionesses] have eaten. Of course, they are untouchables. Can you chase a lion? It is only … electricity that can put them down. Otherwise, we have lost our children to such animals while they go to fetch water. Some have eaten up our gardens while others don’t spare our domestic animals like goats, sheep among others,” one of the residents who lives nearby the park said.
After the gorillas, lions come second in attracting tourists to Uganda, and therefore a major foreign exchange earner.
https://thecooperator.news/lyantonde-residents-in-fear-as-wild-beasts-maul-livestock/
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