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UWA places Shs10 million bounty on lions killers
Kanungu Deputy RDC Gad Rugaaju (left) and UWA inspect carcass of a lion in Queen Elizabeth National Park at the weekend. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- According to Mr Bashir Hangi, the Communications Manager at UWA, a telephone number has been provided so it can be used to give any information leading to the arrest of the killers.
Following the death of six lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the management of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has put up a reward of Shs10, 000,000 to anybody with information that will lead to the arrest and successful prosecution of the people behind the heinous act.
Six lions were on Friday found dead at Ishasha sector, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kanungu District in suspected poisoning according to UWA.
According to UWA, the lion carcasses were found with most of their parts missing. Eight dead vultures were also found at the scene, which points to possible poisoning.
According to Mr Bashir Hangi, the Communications Manager at UWA, a telephone number has been provided so it can be used to give any information leading to the arrest of the killers.
"We, therefore, urge the public to join us in this fight by giving us information in confidence so that the killers of our lions are brought to book. We request whoever has useful information to this effect to contact us through telephone number +256 776 800 152. Conserving our wildlife resources is a duty for all Ugandans and we should all work together in fighting all forms of wildlife crime," he said in a statement released on Monday.
Mr Hangi pledged to protect the sources of information leading to the killers of the cats.
"We guarantee the confidentiality of everyone who will give us information," he said.
He told Daily Monitor that UWA has so far collected samples from the carcasses and taken them for laboratory tests to establish the actual cause of death. He also noted that other government agencies have joined the hunt.
"Once the results of the tests are out, we shall inform the public. Other government agencies have also joined us in investigating this matter and we are discounting nothing in this undertaking until we get the perpetrators of this heinous act," he noted
Mr Hangi also reiterated UWA's unwavering commitment to protecting Uganda’s wildlife heritage, adding that concerted and consistent conservation efforts have seen an increase in animal numbers in all protected areas and the trend continues despite the setbacks.
