What you need to know:
They have so far destroyed 16 acres of crop gardens including sim sim, sorghum, cassava, sweet potatoes and sunflowers.
Six stray hippopotamuses are roaming Alali Village in Apyeta Parish Palabek Ogili Sub County Lamwo district causing panic among residents. The Village LC I Chairperson, Bosco Otim, says told URN over the weekend that the hippos have been roaming the area since August this year.
They have so far destroyed 16 acres of crop gardens including sim sim, sorghum, cassava, sweet potatoes and sunflowers. On Friday night, the Hippos attacked Richard Opigio when he came out to check on his cattle kraal.
Opigio said that he heard his cattle mooing outside the kraal forcing him to rush and check what was happening. To his dismay he saw the cattle running outside the kraal but as he flashed his torch to see what was happening he was surprised to see three hippos charging towards him.
He goes on to say that he narrowly escaped by quickly climbing a nearby tree before making alarm, which attracted residents forcing the beasts to flee. Robert Odoch, another resident said the animals traversed his 3 acre cassava garden and razed it to the ground.
They also destroyed two acres of sim sim belonging to John Ogena. Pilicana Adongo, another resident says they are living in fear of being attacked by the animals at night. He says currently most them ease themselves inside their houses for fear of being attacked.
Francis Banya, another resident says that they have informed Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) about the stray animals but nothing has been done. Hanji Bashir, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Spokesperson told URN on phone that they would liaise with the local leaders to track down the animals.
In September this year, two stray hippopotamuses were sighted in Gulu district. Hippos live in water but also move out at night in search for food.
