Uganda Wildlife Authority – UWA has shown worry that poachers have invented advanced tools to poach wildlife.
Stephen Masaba the business development manager of UWA said that poachers have presently progressed from basic wildlife killing tools to more refined ones. He wondered what would be left for tourists to see if all the animals are murdered.
He said this at the prize award ceremony for tourists that participated in the angling competition held at Murchison River Lodge at the border of Oyam, Masindi and Pakwach area. Murchison Falls Invitational Fishing Tournament was the organizer of that competition.
The event attracted sightseers that took advantaged to watch animals close to the Murchison Falls. The tourism accountable at Murchison falls Peter Mbwebwe, said that poachers who are solely interested in meat set traps and then those interested in elephants for their ivory use guns.
He added that despite the dangers the wildlife authority is facing in battling poachers, so as to control poaching in the different national parks the authority has been provided with a motorcycle to help track poachers.
Masaba said that they are prepared to use this motorcycle to also patrol ‘deadly’ areas and as soon as the poachers learn of it, they will be scared and even abandon their operations
Dr. Andrew Sseguya the authority’s executive said that Uganda loses about one billion shillings every year to wildlife traffickers.
While talking to lawmakers one week back who had converged for a tour in Queen Elizabeth National Park found in western Uganda Dr. Sseguya said that severe punishments have to be given to the poachers if at all the vice is to be eradicated.
He informed the parliamentary members that In East Africa, it is solely Uganda which does not have any severe punishments against the wildlife traffickers, and because of this, many of the lawbreakers from different countries such as Kenya in which punishments are severe crossover into Uganda and take part in the vice.
The Yamaha model motorcycle estimated at $6000 (approximately UGX15 million) was provided by Toyota Uganda. this motorcycle will in addition be used in sensitizing the community staying around the park to fight against poaching. This bike is an addition to the marine boat which is currently used in patrolling River Nile.
More than UGX15 million was raised in the auction to buy scholastic material plus desks for Paraa Primary School found in the national park.
