Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has launched an operation to capture a leopard that has been roaming in Kamaiba and Nyakabingo wards in Kasese Municipality, after it escaped from Queen Elizabeth National Park.
For nearly four weeks, people in Kamaiba and Nyakabingo wards in Central Division in Kasese Municipality have been living under fear following reports of the animal being sighted in the area.
According to the General Secretary of the Kamaiba cell, Rogers Bwambale, the leopard has so far eaten ten goats, killing a number of dogs during its night movements.
The UWA team led by Robinson Kato, together with local leaders in the affected areas, searched for the animal on Monday but in vain.
Kato says the search is still ongoing to make sure the animal is captured and sent back to the Elizabeth National Park.
He said a resident in the area saw the leopard passing on Monday morning but it was not easily tracked.
The UWA team has camped at the Mulongoti army barracks where they will be commanding the hunt for the leopard from.
The Nyakabingo Ward municipal councilor, Bwambale Kahene, expressed his dissatisfaction over the slow pace and response from the UWA team who came in after the animal had caused problems to the residents.
Kahene says that it is the responsibility of the UWA to make sure that stray animals that pose danger to people’s lives are taken back to the protected area.
As part of the measures to help find the deadly animal, people with bushy pieces of land have been asked to clear them so that they do not work as hiding places for the leopard.
