Infant hospitalized after Chimpanzee attack in western Uganda

Kampala, Sep 24 (IANS) A three-month-old baby boy has been admitted to a hospital after he was attacked and critically injured by a chimpanzee in the western Ugandan district of Hoima.

Fred Atugonza, the local council chairperson for Bubaale North Cell village, told Xinhua news agency on Tuesday that the attack occurred on Sunday evening.

"The chimpanzee attacked a 13-year-old sibling who was carrying his three-month-old brother to their mother in the garden," Atugonza said.

He explained that the animal overpowered the boy, grabbed the baby, and ran off with him to a nearby farm.

"The boy raised the alarm, attracting neighbors. However, by then, the baby had already been injured in the eye, with a mauled hand and toes," the village leader said.

"We urge the Uganda Wildlife Authority leaders to relocate these animals, as they pose a danger to the community," he added.

According to Atugonza, the chimpanzee population has greatly increased. "Killing a chimpanzee can lead to conviction and imprisonment for many years. We don't want to take the law into our hands, yet this is the fourth attack on our children this year," he said.

Moses Africa, the warden in charge of Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve, which neighbors the incident area, said in a statement that he would visit the victim before initiating compensation.

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