Stray jumbos invade Palapye
Lindiwe Mozola | Thursday March 9, 2017 15:40
Already the department has received reports that one elephant was spotted around the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) and in Lecheng village.
The DWNP issued the warning during a presentation at the ongoing Palapye Administrative Authority (PAA) Sub Council.
According to PAA Chief Wildlife warden, Thatayaone Tshekiso, the population of elephants in the Palapye area is expected to increase and people are warned to be extra cautious.
“There are a lot of them and we expect their numbers to increase. We suspect they come from our neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe and Zambia, but we can assure you that they are very peaceful and people should not panic whenever they see them. Rather, they should be careful not to provoke them,” he said. He said that so far the DWNP had not received any reports of large scale damages done by elephants besides the destruction of fences surrounding people’s lands.
He said that one of the causes that lead to an elephant migrating from one country to another is to look for peace. Batswana should therefore embrace that since it shows that the elephants are after peace this indicates that Botswana is a peaceful country.
Tshekiso further stated that it is difficult to control the elephants as their movements are determined by the availability of water and other resources. According to the chief wildlife warden, government pays out a total of P70,000 whenever a human being is killed by an animal, with P50,000 of the amount being disbursed to dependents and the balance going towards the funeral expenses.
Responding to the presentation, councillors said while they appreciated the government’s efforts to compensate victims, the amounts awarded were too little looking at the pricelessness of life.
Morupule ward councillor, Jordan Makhura called for the compensation to be reviewed and increased. He also said that it was unfair that it applied only when a life was lost, saying the scope should be widened to when attacks leave people disabled.
“Also, is there anyway you can remove the elephants to avoid loss of lives because Batswana still lack information on how to act around them so that they do not become aggressive?” he asked. Mogapi councillor, Tuelo Metseyabeng said the elephants should be returned from ‘where they come from’ noting that people would end up taking the law into their own hands by killing them.
“In Mogapi they are troubling us and they have caused a lot of damage. For people to receive help they have to travel as far as Mmadinare where DWNP offices are located. Some, therefore have resorted to dangerous measures such as targeting the elephants,” he said.