Uganda: 6 suspected poachers arrested by UWA during festive season

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) arrested more than six suspected poachers from different national parks during the festive season.

“At Murchison Falls National Park, five men were intercepted near Karuma as they tried to engage in elephant poaching. Although they tried to escape, UWA law enforcement officials chased them up to Lira town where they were arrested,” the Authority publicist Lillian Nsubuga said.

Ms Nsubuga said as it usually is, UWA officials intensified their patrols during the festive season, deploying a bigger number of rangers.

She adds that in Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area, six elephant poachers were found in the park with ivory which had just been removed from an elephant that was shot dead.

Abandoned

“The armed poachers shot at the UWA rangers and managed to escape arrest although they abandoned the elephant tusks,” she added.

In Kidepo Valley Conservation Area, Ms Nsubuga says a poacher was found with wire snares, a reedbuck carcass, six wheel traps and four arrows.

Ms Nsubuga says UWA is going to prosecute the poachers and hunt down the others still at large.

Source: Daily Monitor (09/01/2013): http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/6-suspected-poachers-arrested-by-UWA-during-festive-season/-/688334/1660884/-/l5krlh/-/index.html