A lioness roams at Queen Elizabeth National Park in the western Ugandan district of Kasese, January 31, 2017. (Xinhua/Ronald Ssekandi)
KAMPALA, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Eleven lions in a national park in western Uganda have been poisoned to death by a neighboring community, a conservation official said here on Thursday.
Bashir Hangi, Communication Manager Uganda Wildlife Authority told Xinhua by telephone that three adult lionesses and eight cubs were found dead near Hamukungu fishing village in Kasese district. Hamukungu neighbors Queen Elizabeth National Park.
"We highly suspect poisoning but we shall confirm after carrying out tests," Hangi said.
Ephraim Kamuntu, minister of tourism, wildlife and antiquities, on Thursday travelled to Kasese to assess the situation.
Cattle keepers neighboring the park poison lions if they invade their kraals.
Hangi said before the death of the 11 lions, Uganda had an estimated 400 lions, with 100 of them residing in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Lions are a key tourism attraction in Uganda's national parks.
Tourism is Uganda's main foreign exchange earner. It contributed up to 1.35 billion U.S. dollars to the export basket in 2016.