A Ugandan wildlife official says scores of animals have died in a national park because of drought.

Jossy Muhangi, a spokesman for the Uganda Wildlife Authority, said Wednesday that animals including zebras and some antelopes in Lake Mburo National Park have been dying of hunger or thirst.

He said animals in some other parks across the country are also stressed by drought conditions, although no deaths have been reported.

He said the situation could get alarming if "flagship species" popular with tourists, such as giraffes, start dying in a region experiencing a prolonged dry spell.

Lake Mburo, in western Uganda, is one of the country's more popular national parks. Tourism is a major source of revenue for the Ugandan government