Tourism Private Sector Jointly Condemns Killing of Lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Arrests Have Been Made
In connection with the death of lions in Queen Elizabeth national park, four people were arrested on March 23rd 2021. Lions that have been known for climbing trees have been found dead with their heads and paws hacked off, and their bodies surrounded by dead vultures, officials said.
Bashir Hangi the UWA’s communications manager said that they were “saddened” by the killings. The government agent that leads tourism sector said that it cannot rule out illegal wildlife trafficking which resulted into investigation with local police working hand in hand with conservationists at the scene.
“Nature tourism is an important part of Uganda’s economy, contributing about 10% of its GDP, and plays a vital role in the conservation of animals “Bashir Hangi furthermore stated.
He said UWA strongly condemns the illegal killing of wildlife because it does not only impact negatively on our tourism as a country, but also revenue generation, which supports conservation and community work in our protected areas.
In the previous incidents, a number of lions have been believed to have been poisoned in Queen Elizabeth National Park. For example in May 2010, five lions were found dead due to similar incident and 11 lions – including eight cubs – were found dead after a suspected poisoning in April 2018.
