Three lions found dead in Uganda

Three lionesses have been found dead in the Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.

The Wildlife authority confirmed this on Tuesday adding that the lionesses were victims of possible electrocution.

The three lionesses were found near the fence of a private lodge in the popular Queen Elizabeth National Park.

"Although the cause of death is yet to be determined, we suspect it was electrocution," Bashir Hangi, head of communications at the Uganda Wildlife Authority, told AFP.

A police investigation has been launched and a post-mortem will be conducted, Hangi added.

This latest incident brings to nine the number of lions found dead in the same national park in one year. Another six lions, believed to have been poisoned, died in March 2021.

In 2018, 11 lions, including eight cubs, died of poisoning, again in Queen Elizabeth Park. Another five lions were also poisoned in 2010.

None of the investigations has been able to identify the perpetrators.

The Ugandan park is home to more than 600 species of birds and around 100 mammals, including buffalo, leopards, hyenas and elephants.

There are just over 250 lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society's January report.

Tourism in Uganda accounts for almost 10% of GDP, according to official figures.