Police in Kiryandongo District have launched investigations into circumstances under which a 34-year-old man, identified as Paul Mutoro, was killed by an elephant inside Murchison Falls National Park.
The incident reportedly occurred after Mutoro and two other individuals illegally entered the protected area to burn charcoal, according to police.
The Albertine Region Police spokesperson, Julius Hakiza, said the trio had accessed the park without authorisation when they were attacked by a wild elephant, resulting in the death of one of them.
“The three had made illegal entry into the national park to burn charcoal, only to be attacked by an elephant that killed one, and the two survived,” Hakiza said.
He confirmed that the two survivors have been arrested to assist police and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in ongoing investigations into how they accessed the park and carried out the illegal activity.
Hakiza cautioned members of the public against entering protected areas, warning that such zones are both illegal to access and highly dangerous due to wildlife.
“We want to caution the general public against going to protected areas. Most wild animals are not human-friendly, and you can end up losing your life. It is also illegal to go to the park for any activity unless you are authorised and under the guidance of UWA,” he said.
Police say investigations are ongoing into the incident, including the circumstances that led to the group’s entry into the park and the activities they were carrying out at the time.
Authorities have repeatedly warned against encroachment into protected conservation areas, citing risks to human life and environmental degradation.
