At Kiryandongo Central Police Station, three suspects are in custody for the illegal possession of wildlife products. The three suspents include John Onek, 47, a resident of Nanda village in Nyamaswa Sub County, Eston Nyitu, 33, a resident of Kibiramatu village in Kigumba Sub County and Bernard Enying, 29, a resident of Kigumba Town Council.
On Saturday the suspects were arrested after being found in possession of 134 pieces of suspected rhino and hippopotamus teeth, weighing 45 kg. The police and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) were able to apprehend the suspects after receiving intelligence-led information and a tip-off from a whistleblower according to Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson.
Communities living near national parks were called by Bashir Hangi, the Communications manager at UWA to appreciate the benefits of wildlife conservation and protect the survival of wildlife.
Hangi appealed to citizens not to allow themselves to be used by wildlife traffickers after suspecting suspected that the suspects could be wildlife traffickers or being used by them to traffic illegal wildlife products through Uganda.
Although the three were suspected, it is not clear whether they killed protected species in Murchison falls national park to obtain the wildlife products in Kiryandongo District.
What challenges do wildlife face?
- Poaching.
Poaching is illegal trafficking and killing of wildlife without in protected areas that is managed by Uganda wildlife Authority. Rescently UWA arrested 60 people for illegal poaching in the wild life protected areas in Nakapiripirit district. The poachers had endangered the lives of the protected animals such as greater kudud, antelopes and ostriches however the suspects arrested complained of poverty and hunger driving them into poaching.
- Encroachment.
Encroachment is where local communities have encroached national park properties in order to get enough land for agriculture since they have stopped them from hunting in the parks. This has increased conflicts between UWA and local communities which have resurrected fencing UWA properties as a land mark.
- Conflict
Conflicts between UWA and Local communities have increased due to wildlife escaping from the parks and attack the local communities as well as their properties. Some of this wildlife include lions, monkeys and elephants. Some local communities have lost their lives due to lion attack thus causing UWA to fence the protected areas.
- Insecurity.
Insecurity in national park is mostly caused by wars where wildlife is affected and is being killed in their parks by rebels. Insecurity not only affects the wildlife but also visitors who cancel visiting trips to safe guard their lives thus affecting Tourism industry.
