Residents in kasese town went into a panic in September 2020 after six stray elephants invades local communities living near Queen Elizabeth national park.
UWA staff drove back the wild beasts in their protected areas for fear of being injured or killed by the local communities.
Elephants are one of the big five mammals and have affected people’s properties resulting the government to erect the electric fences around the protected areas at kyenzaza in kyambura of Rubirizi district in western part of Uganda.
A businessman and proprietor of Verina Gardens Mr Reuben Mwahuihwa is one of the victims of animal invasion.
Mr Reuben said that it was about 6am when four elephants struck his fence enclosing his hotel and destroyed his promises.
It is said that elephants have not only destroyed Reuben but also other local properties around Queen Elizabeth national park for example airfields and razed down the fence erected by airfield authorities.
Kabugho Petwa a resident said that majorly elephants destroy jackfruits and other plants around home.
Fleeing patients.
Petwa witnessed the incident where elephants have invaded the health care center 3 in kasese municipality as patients fled their wards. Thanks to the security personal who fired gunshots to scare away animals in their promises.
Although the same situation happened at kidodo health center 2 where the rangers saved the situation. Local communities surrounding these protected areas have been victimized of elephants and these include kidodo cell Railway ward, Kyondo, kanyangeya and kirembe.
What are the ways used by the locals to scare away wild beasts?
Because of such incident and complaints of the locals to the UWA, local communities decided to hire more security and so is UWA to sleep guard their properties to block them from attacking them.
The security men would light fire as well as banging jerricans to scare away elephants in the local communities.
Local communities decided to dug trenches as others installed bee hives to scare away wild beasts in their promises.
Others have planted thones and red papers around the park boundaries which have chased away wild animals.
Besides the tactics used by the locals, wild beasts have continuously attacked the locals which have resulted more complaints like Muhindi Bukombi Eliphaz said that they have not only destroyed properties but also killed people. He added saying that an old man from bigando village kitswamba sub country was killed by an elephant on June 16, 2022.
Muhindi said that crops have been eaten, people killed by elephants and houses destroyed in span of two years.
What were the solutions to this incidence?
- The government has compensated the loses made by wild beasts to local communities.
- UWA has continuously sensitized communities about wild beasts on how they can be avoided.
About Elephants.
The elephant population is currently based on the 2018 census and UWA registered 3953 elephants in Queen Elizabeth national park up from 2913 elephants in 2015.
Elephants are one of the big five mammals and others include Rhinos, Buffalos, leopards and lions. Elephant weights 6000kgs and is a biggest mammal on land. There are 3 living species spotted in the world and these include African Forest Elephants, Asian elephants and African bush elephant. The life span of elephants is between 60 -70 years.
