ANIMALS from Queen Elizabeth National Park have destroyed over 500 acres of crops in Rubirizi district, local authorities have confirmed.
Dominic Bakesima, the chairperson of Kasisa-Kagogo farmers’ Forum in Kichwamba sub-county, named the most hit villages as Kasisa and Kagogo in Kichwamba sub-county in Katerera county.
The animals, mostly elephants, destroyed banana plantations.
Bakesima said on Thursday that the two villages have gardens for people from the neighbouring villages.
He said they had appealed to the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the district leadership for help in vain.
“The locals have threatened to stage a peaceful demonstration and boycott the coming elections if nothing is done to rescue the situation,” Bakesima said.
Dinavensi Ndijunwoha, a farmer in Kagogo village, said the area MP, Gaudiosio Tindamanyire, promised to help fence the areas neighbouring the park two years ago but nothing has been done.
Ndijunwoha said many people deserted farming and were redundant, noting that this was likely to cause famine in the area.
The Kichwamba sub-county LC3 chairperson, Philly Masiko, said over 40 people were admitted in dispensaries for malaria contracted from the park as they were guarding their crops from the animals.
Masiko said over 140 farmers cultivate in the villages near the park. He appealed to the disaster preparedness ministry to provide food to the affected people.
END
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Friday, August 27, 2010
UWA took the right decision on officials
I am not surprised that the managers of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) have been suspended and one of them sacked.
There is a public outcry about the way UWA runs its business. I have read about incidents where wild animals are shot by rangers and the public share the meat.
Many people have called UWA to rescue animals without any response. The organisation has no department to help communities that live near protected areas. Many Ugandans have been killed by crocodiles, elephants, buffalos and leopards without any intervention by UWA. UWA had completely lost track.
You can tell this by looking at the organisational structure. A wildlife authority should have at least a laboratory for early detection of diseases like anthrax which has killed many hippos. It should have a very effective veterinary department and a well-equipped capture department that can handle problem animals.
The management of UWA has been putting more emphasis on their personal interest than the interests of Ugandans. I do not blame the UWA board for the steps taken. However, those who are innocent should be called back.
Uganda safari
There is a public outcry about the way UWA runs its business. I have read about incidents where wild animals are shot by rangers and the public share the meat.
Many people have called UWA to rescue animals without any response. The organisation has no department to help communities that live near protected areas. Many Ugandans have been killed by crocodiles, elephants, buffalos and leopards without any intervention by UWA. UWA had completely lost track.
You can tell this by looking at the organisational structure. A wildlife authority should have at least a laboratory for early detection of diseases like anthrax which has killed many hippos. It should have a very effective veterinary department and a well-equipped capture department that can handle problem animals.
The management of UWA has been putting more emphasis on their personal interest than the interests of Ugandans. I do not blame the UWA board for the steps taken. However, those who are innocent should be called back.
Uganda safari
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Zakayo to mark 46th birthday
Preparations to celebrate the 46th birthday of the oldest alpha male Chimpanzee at the Uganda Wildlife Educational Centre are under way. According to officials at the centre, a huge cake has been made for the ageing chimpanzee while its keepers are teaching it table manners for the occasion to be witnessed by UWEC staff, conservationists and students on Saturday.
“The chimpanzee has been trained to use a sharp stick to cut posho in preparation for its birthday,’’ Ms Belinda Atim, the UWEC spokesperson, told Daily Monitor yesterday.
She said the keepers would first talk to invited guests on the importance of chimp conservation while focusing on Zakayo’s history and personality.
“Zakayo will first be let out of the holding facility into the island with Acan, the youngest member of the family and later cut his cake while children invited from various schools sing for him,” said Ms Atim.
She said a few members of the public will get an opportunity to feed Zakayo with fruits while other schools would be singing chimp conservation songs and reciting poems. A quiz competition has also been organised where winners will walk away with various prizes.
Zakayo has been a protective and fatherly primate to young chimps, especially Onapa, Aluma and Shaka. He is ‘married’ to Amina and Ruth and likes spending hours resting, grooming or being groomed by one of his two wives.
If you want to track chimpanzees in the wild click these links;
“The chimpanzee has been trained to use a sharp stick to cut posho in preparation for its birthday,’’ Ms Belinda Atim, the UWEC spokesperson, told Daily Monitor yesterday.
She said the keepers would first talk to invited guests on the importance of chimp conservation while focusing on Zakayo’s history and personality.
“Zakayo will first be let out of the holding facility into the island with Acan, the youngest member of the family and later cut his cake while children invited from various schools sing for him,” said Ms Atim.
She said a few members of the public will get an opportunity to feed Zakayo with fruits while other schools would be singing chimp conservation songs and reciting poems. A quiz competition has also been organised where winners will walk away with various prizes.
Zakayo has been a protective and fatherly primate to young chimps, especially Onapa, Aluma and Shaka. He is ‘married’ to Amina and Ruth and likes spending hours resting, grooming or being groomed by one of his two wives.
If you want to track chimpanzees in the wild click these links;
- chimp trekking
- chimp trekking in Ngamba Island
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