Game wardens kill four stray buffaloes

Boniface Keakabetse | Wednesday January 29, 2014 16:36

Unlike the other tourism town of Kasane, buffaloes are prohibited in Maun.

The buffaloes caused fright in the village after they were discovered in front of the Maun Educational Park.

Some residents, fearing the highly aggressive beasts, apparently phoned the wildlife officials. After a search the buffaloes were found and shot.

District Wildlife Coordinator Bolt Othomile confirmed the incident in an interview with Mmegi on Monday.

Othomile said the buffaloes had to be shot  as they posed a threat to public security given their aggressiveness.

He said they were dangerous particularly to children going to school who may mistake them for cattle.

He said the buffaloes might have crossed the buffalo fence from the Okavango delta area.

Othomile said veterinary protocol also stipulates that when buffaloes, which are carriers of a virus causing Foot and Mouth Disease in cattle, wander into livestock areas, they have to be killed on sight and burnt.

Ngamiland has been experiencing FMD recurrence, spread by buffaloes, since 2007. 

Veterinary officials were not available for comment at the time of writing.

However, weeks back, scores of cattle were also gunned down and burnt after wandering beyond the buffalo fence into wildlife management areas.

Poor maintenance of the buffalo fence, which is supposed to constrain buffalo-cattle contact, has for some time been a source of concern in the district.