KAMPALA – Residents in villages of Kobushera and Rwabaragi, Mpeefu Sub County Kagadi district on Friday were attacked by a lion that had killed a number of livestock and injured several people before it was gunned down.
Uganda Wildlife Authority – UWA says they received information from the DPC Kagadi regarding the stray lion but their efforts to translocate it were in vain.
In statement, UWA says its staff at Muhoro satellite outpost got in touch with the DPC, linked up with him at midday and went with him and other police officers to Rwabaragi village/parish, Mpeefu Sub County, Kagadi District where the lion was last sighted about 30KM from Muhoro Town Council with an aim to assess the situation with a view of capturing the lion and translocating it to a protected area.
“Upon reaching the area, they found a crowd of communities who were already searching for the lion with all sorts of tools including machetes, spears and big sticks because it had already injured three people in the area.”
“The lion was already stressed and enraged by the presence and noise of a huge crowd that was following the lion with intention to kill it. Communities were asked to give way and let our staff and police handle the problem animal together with four community members, but instead more and more crowds gathered due to the noise and alarm that was being raised. The search team was shortly joined by UPDF soldiers commanded by one Lt. Col Lubega James of first division Kyeterekera UPDF Battalion in Kagadi who took over command of the operation,” said UWA on Saturday.
It is said that one UPDF soldier Cpl Amodoi Moses sighted the lion and tried to shoot it but it jumped on him seriously injuring him in the process before his colleague shot it.
“Immediately the lion was shot dead, communities that were in pursuit of the lion quickly skinned it and shared the meat. UWA staff pleas to handle the carcass fell on deaf ears and they were overpowered by the crowd. They only managed to secure the skin and the head from the carcass which were taken to police for record purposes and further investigations.”
“We regret the incident in which this stray male lion lost its life and extend our sympathies to the communities injured by the lion during the hunt and those who lost their domestic animals to the lion whose origin is yet to be ascertained. UWA will support the injured with medical care.”
The Authority advised the public to desist from attacking problem animals and instead report such cases to out toll-free line 0800100960.
“Our problem animal capture unit is always on standby to handle such situations.”
