John B. Thawite
4 August 2007
Kampala — WHEN the animals in Queen Elizabeth National Park are poisoned, it is not a local problem. It could be an international catastrophe.
The park is an international corridor for thousands of migratory birds that move between Europe and South Africa.
According to Uganda Wildlife Authority Executive Director Moses Mapesa, there are 600 bird species in the park, the highest number anywhere in the world.
But on Thursday he expressed fear that they face extinction if the encroachment on the park is not halted. He said: "Poisoning the wildlife in this park is very likely to result in a global disaster."
He explained that when vultures and other birds of prey come into contact with the poison, they can spread it to pasture or other animals and birds elsewhere, multiplying the destruction, a process known as second generation effect. "In the long run, the cattle now grazing in the park could become victims of the poisoning of our wild animals."
The wildlife authority says Basongora pastoralists have been poisoning the predators to protect their cattle.
The pastoralists, who number about 600 people and have about 10,000 head of cattle, entered the park about 16 months ago after being thrown out of eastern DR Congo.
However, the cattle population in the park is now estimated at 40,000 after other people, also claiming to be Basongora, moved into the park.
According to Mapesa, 13 lions, 40 hyenas, 39 vultures, 25 cattle egrets, one sacred ibis and a marabou stock have been poisoned over the last year.
There are also fears that poison could spread from cattle into the human food chain.
Nature Uganda's executive director, Achilles Byaruhanga, said the grazing in the park was forcing the migratory birds back into harsh conditions like winter in some European regions such as Serbia and Russia. He said birds cannot reproduce in winter and so forcing them back prematurely can disrupt their multiplication and cause some species to become extinct.
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