Stray lions trigger panic among residents in Alebtong

Alebtong, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Residents of Adwir sub county in Alebtong district are living in fear due to presence of stray lions in their area.

On Sunday, locals discovered a carcass of a cow and footmarks of what appears to be a lion and a cub. The lions are believed to have strayed from Kidepo Valley National Park, and the locals are now worried that the lions might start harming them in case they are provoked.

The stray animals then moved to Owinyiru village in Omoro sub-county, where they ate another cow before moving back towards the swamp in Okuru parish, Adwir sub county where they are suspected to be hiding.

Robert Adiama, the Alebtong Resident District Commissioner says the lions came just days after a stray buffalo was cited in the neighboring sub county of Amugu. He adds that a team from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has been informed and they are on ground trying to track the lions.

However, Adiama says the animals are ‘rotating’ between Adwir in Alebtong district and Alito village in the neighboring Kapelebyong district in Teso sub region.

Jimmy Patrick Okema, the North Kyoga Police Spokesperson says UWA is using a ‘caller’ instrument blown to make noise to trick the lion into coming out of hiding so it gets captured.

“A caller is an instrument blown and it makes noise similar to that of the targeted wild animal such that the animal thinks that its relatives are the ones making the noise and therefore comes out to join them. In the process, the animal is either captured or injected with a tranquilizer by an expert and is taken away.”

Just last month, stray buffalos destroyed several gardens in Ogor sub county, Otuke district.

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