Africa-Press – Uganda. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has launched a new compensation policy for human deaths resulting from encounters with wild animals outside Murchison Falls National Park boundaries.
Mr Godfrey Rubangakeni, the Wildlife Warden in Masindi, during a meeting with local leaders on Thursday, said that the policy aims at fostering a better understanding of wildlife conservation and ensuring financial support to families affected by such tragic incidents.
“The authority is prepared to provide compensation of up to Shs20 million to families in cases where a human death is caused by a wild animal outside the protected area. This financial aid aims to alleviate the burden faced by the families and demonstrates the UWA’s commitment to preserving wildlife heritage,” he said.
Mr Rubangakeni emphasized the importance of timely reporting of any incidents involving wild animal interference to ensure proper documentation and submission of files to higher authorities for consideration.
“Report within three days in case of any attack by a wild animal so that we can escalate to higher authorities. This increases the chances of assessment and potential compensation to the affected individuals or their families,” he added.
Mr Frank Asiimwe, the Pakanyi sub-county chairperson, said that sensitization fosters a better understanding and respect for these creatures while minimizing conflicts between them and humans.
“The compensation policy serves as a proactive measure, encouraging individuals and communities to promptly report incidents to the UWA for easy gathering of essential data to evaluate and mitigate potential risks, thus implementing appropriate measures for the safety of people, plants, and animals,” he said.
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