A Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) game ranger has been trampled by an elephant in Nyamusika cliffs, Murchison Falls National Park.
The incident, which is reported to have happened on Monday evening, saw Deo Twinomujuki lose his life.
"He was trampled while fetching firewood in the Nyamusika cliffs," a source, which preferred anonymity, said. The same source intimated that the ranger tried to scare-shoot when the elephant was running after him in vain.
"He tried to scare-shoot while running, but fell on the ground where the matriarch finished him off," the source said. The deceased is said to have spent eight years working as a ranger with UWA.
Wilson Kagoro, the chief warden in Murchison Falls National Park, said he was not in a position to give details, referring this reporter to the official spokesperson.
When contacted on the matter, UWA spokesperson Bashir Hangi said he was engaged in a meeting, but promised to revert with an official statement.
The unfortunate incident comes days after Uganda joined the rest of the World to celebrate Wildlife Day, holding a ceremony in Tororo municipality on Friday last week.
It was during the same function that UWA executive director Sam Mwandha said the number of elephants in Uganda, has risen from 2,000 in 1999 to 8,000 in 2022.
Source: New Vision