Herdsmen and wardens clash over Uganda's disappearing lions

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2007

KAMPALA (AFP) — Uganda's lions appear to have become the main casualties in a dispute between landless herdsmen and the authorities managing one of the country's biggest reserves.

And with Britain's queen due later this year to visit the park that was named after her, the pressure is on to find a solution.

The number of lions in the Queen Elizabeth II Park, Uganda's second largest national park is dwindling at an alarming rate due to what wardens suspect are poisonings by herdsmen defending their cattle.

"Over ten lions have been poisoned, notably one pride of nine lions has disappeared and we have lost radio communication with one mother that had been radio tagged," said chief warden Tom Okello.

The lions had been disappearing over the past 15...