A 15-year-old boy was tragically killed on Friday morning by a stray elephant that had wandered out of Queen Elizabeth National Park into a village in Uganda’s southwestern Kanungu District — marking the second such fatal incident this year.
The victim, Clinton Birungi, a student at Kyentija Primary School, was attacked after an elephant destroyed his family’s grass-thatched home in Kameme Cell, Kibimbiri Parish, according to police.
Kigezi regional police spokesperson Elly Maate reported that the incident occurred around 5:00 a.m. when a mother elephant and its calf broke out of the park and entered the community.
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“While other family members remained still, Birungi attempted to escape from the collapsing house. The elephant chased him down and trampled him,” Maate said.
This same village experienced a similar tragedy in February when a stray elephant killed 45-year-old Albert Nagaba while he worked in his tomato garden.
Authorities say the elephants involved in the latest incident had been roaming nearby communities for nearly a week before being forced back into the park.
The recurring wildlife invasions have fueled growing anger among residents, who say their calls for stronger protection have been largely ignored.
“We’re grateful for the government’s effort in installing some electric fencing,” said Nelson Natukunda, LCIII chairperson of Kihihi Sub-county. “But it’s urgent that the Kanungu–Rukungiri stretch is completed. We’ve lost lives, and crops worth millions have been destroyed.”
Natukunda also noted that baboons and wild pigs frequently invade farms, worsening tensions between locals and wildlife authorities.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) acknowledged the community’s suffering and promised to bolster efforts to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
“We extend our condolences to the bereaved families,” said UWA spokesperson Bashir Hangi. “We are planning to dig trenches and reinforce electric fences in high-risk areas.”
Hangi added that the elephant involved in Friday’s incident had exploited a weak spot in the fence by pushing its calf through it.
“Installing one kilometer of electric fencing costs about Shs 60 million due to imported materials. We are also considering increasing voltage and ramping up patrols,” he noted.
Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of Uganda’s premier wildlife destinations, hosts large numbers of elephants, hippos, and other mammals. However, increasing conflict along the park’s boundaries is raising concerns over the future of conservation unless more is invested in protective measures.
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