A baby has been found dead after a chimpanzee in Uganda snatched it from its mother.
The two-month-old girl, named Aroho Ahumuza, had been in the arms of her mother in the town of Kagadi in western Uganda when the chimpanzee attacked, news outlet Astro Awani reported.
The ape suddenly emerged from a bush, taking the child from her mother's arms and carrying her away.
Residents came to help after the child's mother raised the alarm. Ahumuza was eventually found with serious head injuries, Astro Awani reported.
"The child was recovered and rushed to Kagadi Community Health Center for medical attention, but she was pronounced dead a few hours later," news agency Anadolu reported, quoting the child's father Kunihira Kasaija.
Uganda is home to about 5,000 chimpanzees, according to data collected from the Jane Goodall Institute. Deaths caused by chimpanzees are rare, but the animals have been found to be aggressive on occasion.
Chimpanzees are about four times as strong as humans and can easily overpower a man. If they feel provoked, they can cause severe injuries.
Conflicts between humans and wildlife have increased in recent years in Uganda. Experts believe that human interference in habitats and the expansion of human settlements is restricting habitation areas for chimpanzees. This can increase stress and tension for the apes, which in turn can cause chimps to become more aggressive. As habitats decrease, the animals are forced into populated areas in search of resources.
Kasaija told Astro Awani that he has asked government agency the Uganda Wildlife Authority to take action on chimpanzees in his home area, calling for the animals to be relocated so that they do not cause any harm to people.
Kagadi, the town where the attack happened, is not far from the Kibale National Park, which has the highest number of chimpanzees in Africa. It is possible the chimpanzee responsible for the attack had wandered away from the park.
Although deaths are rare, attacks by chimpanzees have been an ongoing concern for residents in the area, the news outlet reported.
In June 2022, a young boy was badly injured by a chimp as he was returning home from fetching water.
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Robyn White is a Newsweek Nature Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on wildlife, science and the ... Read more
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