Stray elephant falls from truck, injures three
Boniface Keakabetse | Thursday March 30, 2017 09:44
District Wildlife coordinator, Timmy Blackbeard explained in an interview that they were transporting the jumbo when it fell out of the truck enroute to Shorobe.
He explained that there were three volunteers in the truck with the elephant and they too went crashed to the ground with the elephant.
He stated: “They sustained minor injuries and were treated and discharged.”
The elephant caused a commotion at Matswane ward on Tuesday after a big crowd gathered to see it. It was suspected to have stayed from the neighbouring wildlife areas.
Blackbeard said he received a report from the District Commissioner that there was a stray elephant in Matshwane.
He said after a prolonged search, it was discovered in front of Mokoro Lodge and the scene attracted uncontrollable spectators with some throwing stones and missiles at the animal.
The elephant at one point almost lost its cool as it too began hurling some scrap metals in the air, apparently in anger.
Blackbeard explained that he was under pressure from Member of Parliament Konstantinos Markus and local chiefs to shoot down the elephant.
He explained that conservationists were on the other hand also pressuring him not to kill the animal.
Blackbeard stated that they tried to drive the animal away but failed due to the chaotic crowd.
'We are appealing to the crowd to show restraint whenever they see elephants.
They should not cause unnecessary noise as it may anger the animals,” he said, stating that elephants would not cause trouble unprovoked.
He said at the end, they resolved to dart it with tranquilisers and transport it away from the village.