The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
SIXTY people have so far died from elephant and crocodile attacks in Zimbabwe from January to date while 40 others have suffered serious injuries that have left them with permanent disabilities, an official has said.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority head of corporate communications Mr Tinashe Farawo said it was unfortunate that lives and livelihoods continue to be lost in the communities shared by humans and wildlife.
Mr Farawo was speaking following the death of a villager in Chief Siphoso’s area in Tsholotsho District, Matabeleland North Province.
“It is with great sadness that Khulekani Ncube (36), under Chief Siphoso in Tsholotsho, has been trampled to death by an elephant this morning (yesterday). It happened in the early hours of the morning and we reacted, our teams went on the ground with a view of eliminating the problem animal,” he said.
He lamented the death of people owing to human-wildlife conflict.
“Since January 2021 we have lost 60 lives to human-wildlife conflict in Zimbabwe. We have received more than 2 000 distress calls in communities. About 400 cattle have been killed by lions and hyenas with about 40 people have been injured this year in human-wildlife conflict cases too this year,” he said.
He also highlighted a recent case of a woman who survived a lion attack in Chisumbanje, Chipinge last week.
He, however, said the problem of wildlife interfering into human settlements was beyond their imagination.
“The problem is bigger than what we thought because we are losing lives regularly. There are two main problem animals that we have identified, elephants and crocodiles, you must know that of the 60 lives that we have lost so far this year, 95 percent of those are from either a crocodile or elephant attacks. Of the 60, I think only two were killed by buffalo and I think one by a lion, the rest are these two problem animals and are contributing to 90 percent of the fatalities and injuries,” he said.
In a bid to counter the problem the authority has moved in to educate the communities more on the dangers that are there in trying to create harmony between humans and wildlife.
“In order to deal with the problem, if we look at most of the cases, especially in regards to elephants, they are happening during the night. We have a case in Mbire, where someone was protecting his sorghum harvest and he tried to chase away elephants that had invaded his homestead and he was killed in full view of his wife and his family.
“We are saying our people must report to the authority when they see animals straying into their fields and they must give them space, they must not try to get close to get to the animals at whatever cost,” he warned.
He also said tourists and other merry makers have also come in the path of wild animals’ hands and have fallen victim.
“We have cases where tourists and others are killed because they are trying to get close to animals to take pictures, it is nice to take pictures next to the animals but these animals are wild, we are saying leave the animals alone. Do not provoke them, irrigate or get very close to them because they are dangerous.
“These are some of the things that we are educating communities on and also educating them on animal behavior so that at least they know how these animals behave. However, most importantly give them space and try to minimise movements at night,” he said. —NyembeziMu
