Floods escalate human-wildlife conflict in N-West
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Monday January 27, 2025 15:46
Kelebetseng shared his concerns during the ongoing full council meeting at the NWDC chambers in Maun. The NWDC chairperson said information they continually receive from the Department of Meteorological Services indicate that their district in the recent days recorded above normal rainfall. “As we know, with the good rains comes the risks of flooding, disaster outbreaks and the positives. Heavy downpours have overwhelmed ecosystems, caused disruptions to daily lives and led to the loss of infrastructure and property. As an authority and a district, we must be prepared both individually and collectively to manage these risks,” he added.
Kelebetseng further said the district has and is still experiencing intensive weather conditions in the form of windstorms and heavy rains leading to human-wildlife conflicts ,infrastructural destructions and ponding of water on roads, residential and business premises since November 2024 to date. He elaborated that due to the high rainfall experienced, the district is also experiencing flooding and water bodies that force wild animals to travel long distances from where they are mostly seen in protected areas and concessions to villages and cattle posts. He further said the situation in particular poses a threat to humans as some animals are dangerous and the public is advised to take extra care when traversing the said thicket areas because visibility is also limited.
He revealed that there is an escalation of reports of human-wildlife conflicts with wild animals reported to be intruding farming land and causing damage to property. Kelebetseng indicated that the same wildlife also kill livestock and is generally becoming a nuisance to communities due to the abundance of water. “The community is encouraged to report dangerous animals’ sightings promptly and desist from engaging in risky activities that might end with loss of life or injury,” he said. He disclosed that just recently it was reported that two teenage boys were attacked and injured by a crocodile along the Thamalakane River. On other issues, he added that a male adult was alleged to have been injured by a hippo around Shorobe area.
On a different note, a leopard also injured a man around Shokomoka area. All the victims are reported to be recovering, he added. With the recent incidents, he urged communities to be always cautious. Following the heavy rain falls, it was also reported that a total of 63 households have been assessed in the entire district and remedial measures in the form of food baskets and tents were provided. Kelebetseng also announced that in response to the current discomfort caused by heavy rains, the District Disaster Management Committee, the North West District political wing, the business community and civil society organisations have been on the ground to appreciate the extent of the damage and the disruptions caused by the rains. Earlier on, Kelebetseng said they are still troubled about bush meat poaching, trafficking of pangolins and elephant tusks in the district. He indicated that bush meat poaching targets giraffes, buffalo, impala, kudu, zebra, and other game species. The Department of Wildlife and National Parks collaborates with other stakeholders such as the Botswana Police Service, the Botswana Defence Force and private relevant stakeholders to fight the scourge, he noted.
He further stated that the Wildlife Department, together with other law enforcement agencies, continue to work tirelessly to curb these illegal activities. However, he indicated that shortage of resources such as vehicles and aerial support in some instances hampers anti-poaching efforts. Therefore, Kelebetseng pleaded with the leaders to communicate with their communities to assist in curbing illegal poaching of wildlife. He elaborated that the illicit activities would also negatively affect them as most of the communities depend on these animals for their livelihoods through community trusts.