Residents of Soroti city and neighbouring communities in eastern Uganda have been urged to exercise maximum caution following the sighting of three leopards near a university named after the city.
Soroti university spokesperson Juma Hassan Nyene Friday told local media that the university’s security guards reported spotting the three leopards near the university’s eastern gate.
This came barely a month after another leopard was reportedly spotted in Awaliwal sub-county in Soroti district.
“I appeal to students and staff to remain calm, knowing that they are safe within the university’s well-fenced premises,” said Nyene, noting that concerns about the safety of residents in the surrounding communities.
Fear has mounted among residents of Soroti city and neighbouring communities following reports on spotted leopards.
The sighting has heightened anxiety among residents, particularly those in Arapai, Soroti East Division.
Nyene revealed that communities in Soroti and Amuria districts had similar reports of wild animals killing sheep and piglets.
Martin Opolot, a Conservation Education Assistant attached to Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, commented that wildlife officials had confirmed the presence of the animals through their footprints and deployed traps in an attempt to capture them.
“We confirmed their footprints and took a trap to Awaliwal sub-county, but we did not catch any. A few days later, we received reports that they had been sighted in Abia sub-county in Amuria, where we relocated the trap,” Opolot said.
He attributed the movement of wild animals into human settlements to the prolonged drought, which has forced them out of Bokora-Maseniko and Pian Upe wildlife reserves in search of water.
Last month, a buffalo reportedly killed a man in Katakwi district, while a leopard was also sighted in Soroti district. Two buffaloes were additionally reported in Kalaki district during the same period.
“We are following them closely, but people in areas where these animals have been sighted should remain vigilant,” he advised.
He cautioned residents against moving at night and urged those who must travel after dark to carry torches, saying the light could help scare away the animals.
Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) said in a statement that it would deploy a wildlife veterinarian to capture the elusive leopards once their hiding place was established.
MG/as/APA