A leopard that snatched and killed a three-year-old boy in Uganda has been caught and killed according to the authorities.
The boy, who was identified in local reports as Elisha Nabugyere, was taken on Friday 4th May and only his skull and a jumper could be recovered afterwards.
Now, the staff at the Queen Elizabeth National Park have finally tracked the animal down and killed it, according to a post from a staff member of the Ugandan tourism board.
Advert
The public Facebook post, made by Spacey Kawa Oreste Specioza said: "The leopard which had killed the child has since been eliminated (killed) by UWA rangers and Dr. Ludwig Siefert. Normally tranquilizers are used to partially sedate the animal and then the doctors ascertain if it's the culprit, if innocent it is let free in the wild."
This post was an update on the situation, but had earlier revealed what had happened to the unlucky toddler.
It read: "On Friday 4th May at around 9.15pm, a very unfortunate incidence happened at the Queen Elizabeth National Park Peninsula. A 3 year old boy, son of a female UWA ranger Ms Doreen (gate keeper to the UWA quarter guard) met his untimely death after being attacked by a Leopard at the UWA staff camp house about one and a half kilometer from the Lodge.
Advert
"The incident didn't occur in Mweya safari lodge nor Mweya Lodge staff camp. The child was grabbed by the leopard from the corridor of their house as the house-maid entered into the house to collect dinner preparation items."
It continued: "on Saturday 5th Morning, the child's skull and a little sweater was recovered upon sweeping the park in search of the child and the leopard.
"That very day, UWA arranged means to take the skull remains of the deceased for burial at Ms. Doreen's rural home.This incidence has put the park in turmoil, as believed that when a predator tastes its prey, and likes it, it somehow maintains that diet for a while, in this case the prey being the human flesh."
Advert
A the time of the death, a spokesperson for the Ugandan wildlife authority, Bashir Hangi, had said: "The maid was not aware the child followed her.
"She heard the kid scream for help, she intervened but it was too late the leopard had vanished with it in the bush and a search was mounted until we got the skull the next day.
"The hunt is on with the intention of capturing the leopard and removing it from the wild because once it has eaten human flesh, the temptations are high to eat another human being, it becomes dangerous."
Advert
Thankfully, they have now found and eliminated the leopard before it could kill again.