Lions  killed in suspected poison attack in Queen Elizabeth

An unspecified number of lions has been killed in a suspected poison attack in Queen Elizabeth National Park, in Southwestern Uganda, the Nile Post has learnt.

According to sources privy to the matter, the dead lions were discovered yesterday in the Ishasha sector but details about the incident and circumstances under which it happened are still scanty.

When contacted for a comment, the Uganda Wildlife Authority spokesperson confirmed the incident but said they are still preparing a press statement to be released soon.

“We are trying to put some facts together and we shall inform you,” Hangi told this website on phone.

In 2018, 11 lions, eight of them cubs and three adult lionesses were found dead in Queen Elizabeth National Park by wildlife authorities after being poisoned in human-wildlife conflicts after the animals had allegedly killed villagers’ cattle.

In retaliation, the villagers used poison to kill the national treasures.

The Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth National Park where the latest incident happened is known to harbor tree-climbing lions.

Lions climb in Kidepo and Murchison Falls National Parks but the sight is more regular in Ishasha in Queen Elizabeth.

Tree climbing lions are a rare species of animals and the animals in Ishasha bring in a number of tourists specifically to marvel at them.

According to National Geographic, these lions have a habit of climbing and hanging out in the spreading branches of candelabra trees.

“This unusual behavior has drawn visitors to the park eager to watch big cat acrobatics. Most lions don’t climb trees, although another pride in the park is a crowd-pleaser for climbing fig-trees, and other tree-climbing lions have also been spotted in South Africa,” National Geographic says of the tree-climbing lions.

Africa has two popular lion climbing populations Manyara in Tanzania and Ishasha in Queen Elizabeth.

The story is still developing and we shall keep updating it.