Lions in Queen Elizabeth national park

Lions have reduced by 33 per cent in Uganda’s game reserves over the last 10 years. This is according to the findings of a census undertaken in Murchison Falls, Kidepo and Queen Elizabeth national parks.

The finding shows that in the three parks, the number of lions has reduced from 600 to 400 in the past decade. The biggest decline was recorded in Murchison Falls, where the ‘king of the beasts’ decreased from 320 to 130 animals.

The executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Simon Nandipo attributes the trend to the weak legal framework against poaching and wildlife trafficking in the country, human activities which include, among others, wire snares and wheel traps, and conflict with communities neighbouring the parks.