700kg crocodile caught in Nakasongola
Game rangers with one of the man-eating crocodiles that they recently captured in Apac District. File Photo
What you need to know:
- UWA and local authorities have tried to come up with interventions such as digging trenches, bee keeping and planting thorny trees to limit animal movements from parks.
- Also, UWA gives 20 percent part of their gate revenue collections to the communities that surround the parks as an incentive to promote co-existence of humans and animals.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) on Monday rescued a Nile crocodile measuring about 3.8 metres in length and weighing 700 kilogrammes from Ninga Village, Nakasongola District.
Nile crocodile is Africa’s largest freshwater predator.
The dangerous marauder was rescued before it caused havoc after residents alerted Murchison Falls National Park problem animal management team that swung into action and captured it.
“We do not know where it was coming from but the community alerted our team which went and rescued it,” Mr Bashir Hangi, the UWA spokesperson said.
It will be relocated to a new home in Karuma.
Because of fewer settlements and vast vacant land, Nakasongola is habitat to a number of wildlife animals.
“Normally, whenever these problem animals stray, they are captured and killed by communities but we commend this community that alerted us. This is what we call harmonious living with animals,” he added.
Similarly, in Toro Semuliki Wildlife Reserve, the UWA team rescued a huge python, that was captured from Kanyasi Barracks on Tuesday.
The python, according to UWA, will be relocated deep in the reserve for safety.
Attacks
Last year, crocodiles attacked Butanira, Mwangoda, Golofa, Buyendo, Kadenge and Singila villages, which forms part of Dolwe and Sigulu sub-counties on Bukhooli Island on the shores of Lake Victoria killing an estimated 30 people. Some residents had to flee the villages.
UWA then relocated of some of the crocodiles to other wildlife centres.
Uganda is home to several animal and bird species and the country is using the said flora and fauna to promote tourism, which is now a top foreign exchange earner.
Last year, Uganda raked in $1.4b (Shs5 trillion) from the sector, and provided millions of jobs, according to government statistics.
But because of growing population which has increased pressure on the land, some people have instead encroached on protected areas, thus causing human-wildlife conflicts which have increased in the recent past.
UWA and local authorities have tried to come up with interventions such as digging trenches, bee keeping and planting thorny trees to limit animal movements from parks.
Also, UWA gives 20 percent part of their gate revenue collections to the communities that surround the parks as an incentive to promote co-existence of humans and animals.
