FMD lockdown traps 300,000 cattle in the North
Lesedi Mkhutshwa - Mbongeni Mguni | Tuesday September 19, 2023 06:00
The buffalos are believed to have crossed over from the neighbouring Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, driven across the border into the local community in search of water and pasture, following the dry winter season.
The Veterinary Services Department last week imposed restrictions on the movement of live cloven-hoofed animals and their products in and out of Zones 3b, 3c, 5, 6a and 8.
These zones cover areas around Nata-Gweta, Sowa Town, Lepashe, Mosetse, Dukwi and Kutamogoree. Acting Agriculture minister, Karabo Gare, together with acting Environment, Wildlife and Tourism minister, Mabuse Pule, as well as senior officials from the Veterinary Services department, visited Sepako and Dukwi on Thursday to engage farmers in the area. Gare told The Monitor that while previous buffalo incursions had occurred in the area, the numbers involved in the latest incident were unprecedented. “We went there to indicate government’s commitment to this issue,” he said. “Buffalos do invade this area every year, but usually in numbers of between 20 and not more than 50, which we can deal with, without any panic. “The challenge now is the numbers in which they have come into the area.”
The acting minister said the estimate of 200 buffalos had been drawn from sightings of 150 in one location and another group of nearly 30 in another confirmed sighting. “It’s dry and there’s no water. “We suspect that they are coming from the Hwange area in search of water,” he said.
Gare added that Zones 5 and 8 had been included in the lockdown as a precautionary move and would likely be the first to be removed from the quarantine. He added that there was, however, no estimate of when the livestock movement restrictions would be lifted as the buffalos would have to be cleared first.
“It will only be when we have satisfied ourselves that the area has been cleared,” he said.
In a statement on Friday, the new Director of Wildlife and National Parks, Moremi Batshabang said small clusters of buffalos would be eliminated, while others found within communities would be translocated to larger clusters to ensure villagers’ safety.
Veterinary Services director, Dr Kefentse Motshegwa said the lockdown in the area was to allow for testing of buffalos and cattle for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). Buffalos are the primary carriers of FMD and are linked to frequent outbreaks amongst cattle.
An outbreak of FMD in the North in August last year, forced a long-lasting quarantine, suspension of exports from cattle in the area and the culling of thousands of livestock. Government spent millions of pula in compensating affected farmers as well as restocking their livestock in some cases.
Besides the financial loss for farmers in the area, villagers are concerned about their safety as buffalos are known for being irascible and dangerous.
In separate interviews last week, villagers expressed concern about encountering the wild beasts at a time when they had planned to prepare their fields for the upcoming cropping season. Villagers are also concerned that predators such as lions will follow the buffalos and further endanger humans and livestock.