Preliminary findings by a team from the Kanungu District Security Committe led be Deputy Residence District Gad Rugaju and Police(DPC and District CID) and Uganda Wildlife Authority led by Dr Patrick Atimnedi who is the officer in charge of veterinary services have confirmed that all the 6 lions found dead were poisoned and the 10 volutures that ate the dead bodies also were found dead on the same scene.
Dr Patrick Atimnedi and Dr Eric Enyel said that they suspect a serious poison substance which could have been used to kill the endangered climbing lion species of which all which were young female lions.
The Veterinary doctors said that even the 10 voultures that feasted on the circuses died at the same spots.
The chief warden Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area Pontiuos Ezuma acknowledged that the suspected lion killers had entered the protected area unnoticed and killed the endangered species.
The Kanungu District Security Committe headed by the Deputy RDC Gad Rugaju and Police(DPC and CID) have started Investigation to establish how poachers managed to enter the very well protected area unnoticed and said that it’s difficult for the rangers to be at every point of the park area.
Kanungu Deputy Resident District Commissioner Gad Ahimbisibwe Rugaju said it was unfortunate that the few climbing Lions in the Ishasha sector have been killed and very soon they are going to be extinct.
He urged all residents to stop killing the Wild Animals because they benefit the country through tourism and also called for an emmergency meeting on Tuesday at 10:00am next week to senstize the public around the park. All LC1, LC11 chairpersons, Councilors, LC3 chairpersons of Nyanga and Kihiihi Subcounty, the UWA staff are all invited to attend
Samples were extracted from the dead 6 lions and 10 Volutures and taken to Kampala by the doctors to confirm the poison that was used to kill the lions.
Deputy RDC Gad Rugaju added that the 6 lions died at about 500-800metres facing River Ishasha which is a boundary of Uganga and DRC boundary and probably the lions were going to the river to drink water from the river. According to the UWA Doctors they said that this poison could have killed the lions 30mins after taking it.
On oberseving the dead lions, the following parts were cut off and taken by the killers(The Heads, Feet, Tails, Heart, Liver.
Both statements from Uganda Wildlife Authority and Deputy RDC Kanungu who were on the scene can not rule out the act of wildlife trafficking since most of the parts on the animals were found missing.
“Deputy RDC strongly condemn the killing of the wildlife because it doesnt only impact negatively on tourism as country but also but also revenue generation and conservation work in protected areas.
Tourism contributes about 10% of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 23% of total foreign exports and 20% of total collections is given back to parishes boardering the National parks, therefore killing the lions will have a negative impact in revenues.
