A stray elephant was found dead under unclear circumstances on Wednesday morning in Lokial Village, Sangar Sub-county, Karenga District, amid growing concerns over human-wildlife conflict as animals wander out of Kidepo Valley National Park in search of water.
The carcass was discovered by a farmer who had gone to cultivate his garden. The farmer reported the matter to the nearby UPDF brigade, which then alerted Uganda Wildlife Authority officials for further action.
Martin Oryem, the Community Chief Warden in charge of Kidepo Valley National Park, confirmed the incident, saying UWA was notified by scouts in the sub-county.“The cause of death is not clear, but we sent a team of veterinary doctors, research and monitoring staff, and rangers to assess the body,” Oryem said.
He said the preliminary assessment suggests the elephant may have died in a fight with other elephants over territory.Oryem said that the animal had no bullet or arrow wounds to indicate it was shot, but instead, it bore injuries consistent with an animal fight.
“The body had wounds on the left side and a large wound near the ear, which indicated that the elephant fought,” Oryem explained.Oryem confirmed that elephants and buffalo have broken out of the game park and are now wandering through communities, fueling human-wildlife conflict.
Farmers say the animals have invaded at a time when they are preparing to plant, leaving many afraid to go to their gardens.Oryem attributed the invasion to a prolonged dry spell that has dried up all water sources inside Kidepo Valley National Park.
“Wild animals, especially elephants and buffaloes, are massively wandering around communities looking for water in areas such as boreholes,” he said.
“The animals are now moving long distances searching for water, and sometimes they fight in the struggle for the sources.”He added that UWA is facing a major challenge securing water for wildlife, and efforts to draw water from rivers have been futile as the heat intensifies.
The incident comes less than a month after residents of Nakapelimen village in Nadunget Town Council, Moroto district, killed a stray cheetah on 29th March 2026. The animal had been seen roaming the bushes in Nakimistai, Achuka, and Nakapelimen before it was killed.
UWA officials continue to urge communities to report stray animals to the nearest UWA station instead of taking action themselves, noting that the government has a compensation program for damage caused by wildlife. URN