Six Lions Poisoned in Queen Elizabeth National Park

The tourism fraternity in Uganda woke up to the tragic news that six lions in were found dead in Queen Elizabeth National Park located west of the country .

1. For the second time in three years, lions were killed in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda
2. A blow for tourism in Uganda
3. In 2019 Parliament of Uganda passed the Wildlife Act which was meant to strengthen community participation, compensate communities for the loss of their animals and property to wildlife

This was later confirmed by Uganda Wildlife Authority(UWA) Communications Manager Hangi Bashir who released a presser stating   ‘The carcasses of the lions were found last evening  (18th March )at Isasha sector with most of their body parts missing. Eight dead vultures were also found at the scene which points to possible poisoning of the lions by unknown people.

In April 2018,a pride of eleven lions in the same national park was poisoned in a similar manner causing international outrage but this time the carcasses were mutilated with limbs and heads missing suggesting illegal wildlife trade in body parts for medicinal use.

 Then the previous Minister of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities Professor Ephraim Kamuntu led a fact-finding team to resolve issues surrounding Human-Wildlife Conflict. 

The Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) was later in 2019  to follow up  by sponsoring and leading a press team to engage with members of Nyakatonzi , Hamkungu, and Kasenyi communities bordering the park who have lost livestock and relatives to wildlife. Since the latest incident, a team of investigators is on the ground and is collaborating with police in Kanungu district in handling this matter confirmed UWA.Just two weeks ago Big Cat biologist  Alex Braczkowski had filmed the pride on assignment for National Geographic to assess on how the lions peculiar for tree climbing were progressing.

 In 2019 Parliament of Uganda passed the Wildlife Act which was meant to strengthen community participation, compensate communities for the loss of their animals and property to wildlife and set tough penalties for wildlife crimes amongst other game-changing provisions.