16/11/2020
Uganda Wildlife Authority
Sadness has engulfed the Uganda Wildlife Authority staff and conservation fraternity as one of their own Sgt. Scot Guma was killed by the elephant while on duty to rescue communities of Nwoya in Murchison Fall National Park on November, 15, 2020. The late Sgt. Guma together with four colleagues had earlier promptly responded to a distress call that elephants had escaped from the park. The Lapono village LC1 chairperson, Francis Ojok Opira, had called our staff based in Wangkwar sector reporting that about thirty stray elephants had invaded the community and were causing destruction to several gardens.
While trying to scare shoot them, the elephants charged back setting the team on the back-foot chase. As the rangers tried to flee for safety and reorganisation, Sgt. Guma unfortunately fell in a low cover ditch where they found and trampled on him leaving his body seriously injured. He died while being rushed to Anaka for medical attention.
The Chief Warden Murchison Falls National Park Niwamanya Edison revealed that Wangkwar sector rangers have been very active in offering quick problem animal interventions to communities surrounding that sector. “The communities called rangers to help drive back the elephants. In the process, they became wild and attacked leaving Stg. Guma with serious injuries. He died while being rushed to hospital,” he said.
The Executive Director Sam Mwandha noted that the late Sgt. has been a hard-working and selfless staff deployed in the department of Community Conservation as a ranger. He executed his work well while handling human wildlife conflict and operational work of patrols. “The institution will greatly miss his commitment, hard work, bravery and passion for conservation,” he said.
He leaves behind a widow and four children.
The Thin Green Line Foundation Wildlife Parks & Rangers
