Curfew ends as stray elephant is moved to Kibale National Park

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Residents of Bukatu village in Mpanga parish, Kahunge subcounty, Kamwenge district, are rediscovering the rhythm of life after a stray elephant imposed an unspoken night curfew.

On March 31, 2026, the elephant was safely returned to Kibale National Park, ending five months of fear that had gripped Bukatu and neighbouring communities.

“We can now move freely in our village at any time,” said Selestini Ngabirano, the LC1 chairperson for Bukatu village. “The elephant had imposed an unspoken curfew, as everyone feared encounters with the wild. Even the village drunkards stayed sober most of the time.”

He added, “Our fear is that it might come back, but for now we have chased away fear, and people are moving freely.”

(Photo by Gerald Tenywa)

The male elephant, estimated to be 20 years old, was captured last Tuesday at 10:00 am and released in Mainaro, Dura subcounty, Kamwenge, at around 2:00 pm the same day.

A team of four wildlife rangers was deployed to Bukatu to safeguard both residents and the elephant. They closely monitored its movements and feeding habits in an area along River Mpanga, which the animal had turned into a sanctuary.

The capture team comprised 30 rangers, managers from Kampala, and two veterinary doctors who worked to locate and capture the elephant. The rangers were drawn from Kibale, Rwenzori, Queen Elizabeth, Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, and Murchison Falls National Park.

The team used a drone, a grader and a ground patrol team to locate and sedate the elephant. It was later captured and subjected to medical checks.

The elephant was also fitted with a collar equipped with GPS to enable monitoring and tracking in Kibale.

The animal had strayed into the area at the end of last year and settled along the banks of River Mpanga during the daytime. It raided crops including maize, fruits, bananas, jackfruit and watermelons from land owned by private farmers and commercial enterprises.

“Thank you for saving the elephant many kilometres away from the boundary of Kibale National Park,” said John Tibesigwa, the chief warden of Kibale Conservation Area. “It found a haven in a riverine area along Mpanga,” he said.

He added, “The communities did not hurt the elephant and worked with us to protect it.”

The Uganda Wildlife Authority deployed a team of rangers in November 2025 to protect the community from harm.

Tibesigwa said rescuing the elephant reflects UWA’s growing capacity and leadership in conservation. “It is important that we brought this back to its original habitat,” he said, adding that UWA provided funding and technical expertise, with additional external support.

Dr Victor Musiime, UWA’s senior veterinarian, said the elephant has a right to live and that the authority is doing what it can, within its means, to rescue it.

Dr Joshua Lubega, a veterinarian, moved with a dart gun alongside a ranger and a New Vision reporter to sedate the elephant. The animal charged three times while resisting capture on Sunday.

The next day, Monday, Allan, the head in Kibale, fired a live bullet as a scare tactic to divert the charging elephant that was approaching Lubega and the journalist. He also piloted the drone that located the elephant and guided it towards Lubega, who eventually darted it.

As the rest of the world went to church, waving palm leaves to symbolise Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, the UWA team continued tracking the elephant. The operation extended into Monday and Tuesday.

Lubega said operations would improve with access to a three-seater helicopter capable of manoeuvring through thick vegetation. He noted that such methods are widely used in capture missions, including in Kenya, where he has participated in similar operations.

The operation attracted hundreds of local residents who gathered to watch the process of locating and capturing the elephant. UWA personnel repeatedly dispersed them, but they continued returning.

Ngabirano said the elephant had caused fear among residents and destroyed crops, undermining their ability to repay loans, including those under the Parish Development Model. He expressed gratitude to UWA for responding to their concerns and removing the animal.

Fred Mbonigaba, a councillor at Kahunge subcounty, said the elephant had triggered unrest and concern within the community, adding that the matter had been discussed at local council level before rangers were deployed.