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Two tons of illegal ivory confiscated en route from Uganda
Last week, an unaccompanied cargo of two tons of ivory and five rhino horns left Uganda’s Entebbe airport and... Full Story |
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Hot off the press is our report on the Hippo Survey of Queen Elizabeth, all the more poignant this year for its ability to help monitor the current Anthrax outbreak that has so far resulted in the... Full Story |
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| 5 lions poisoned in Queen Elizabeth park |
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Five lions and 16 vultures in the Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda have died of suspected poisoning, acting warden Nelson Guma said. The carcasses of three lionesses and two males, formerly part of a pride of about 10, along the Kasenyi track, were discovered about a kilometre from Hamukungu fish landing site on Wednesday. Park rangers said one of the lionesses was pregnant. Guma expressed the fear that more lions and wild animals like hyenas, which feed on dead animals, could also be dead. Usually local people complain of wild animals eating their domestic animals, but Guma said there had been no such case in the recent past. "It is unfortunate that people with bad hearts poison the lions and end up killing more animals than intended," he said. Rangers yesterday retrieved the carcasses of the lions from the wilderness for examination. They also recovered two dead head of cattle and two cow skins. A swarm of dead green flies littered the area, indicating possible poisoning. Dr. Margaret Drachiru, a veterinary doctor at the Uganda Wildlife Authority who took samples for testing, said the animals could have died on Sunday. She added that the two head of cattle were not killed by the lions, but were slaughtered and placed there to trap the cats. According to Guma, lions are the biggest tourist attraction in QENP which is said to hold about 105 lions in the Kyambura and Ishasha sectors. Perceived as a threat to livestock and humans, lions are also hunted for their skins and purported medicinal values. They are poisoned, shot or speared by locals. While lion populations in protected areas remain relatively healthy, conservationists say without urgent measures, they may disappear as their habitat is lost to deforestation and encroachers. Uganda has 10 national parks. lions are also found in the Murchison Falls and Kidepo parks. Some are said to be in the Semliki area in Toro. In Lake Mburo National Park, however, the lions have become extinct. The Uganda Wildlife Authority has put in place various interventions, including sensitising communities around the parks in an attempt to save the big cats. ( Article by Michael Karugaba, 20th May 2010, The New Vision, Uganda) Comment - UCF works closely with Uganda Wildlife Authority in QENP supporting their efforts to combat poaching, bush meat and ivory trafficking. UCFalso supports the local commmunities with interventions to limit crop raiding and other human / wildlife conflicts. UCF has recently completed the construction of ranger accommodation to increase the wildlife ranger presence in the more remote parts of the Park and constructions at other sites are at the planning stage. The presence of more rangers will help to prevent such incidences as those reported here as well as reduce poaching and illicit snares. With your help these plans can be realised, PLEASE DONATE ONLINE NOW. |