A leopard has attacked and killed a toddler in a protected area of south-western Uganda popular with tourists.

Bashir Hangi, a spokesman for the Uganda Wildlife Authority, said the victim, the two-year-old son of a game ranger, was attacked on Friday evening while following a nanny to a kitchen outside their house in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

He said the nanny heard the child scream and then saw the animal dragging the boy into the bush.

A search team later found the boy’s skull and other remains that were buried over the weekend.

The incident has shocked many in Uganda, where leopard attacks on humans are rare.

Leopard attacks on children are sometimes reported in parts of rural India. – PA