Hippos kill five people in Maun
Boniface Keakabetse | Thursday October 5, 2017 19:09
Superintendent John Kelebeng of Maun Police said in the latest incident, two men are suspected to have drowned along the river in Sexaxa after a suspected hippo attack at 9am on Tuesday.
“The two are a 39-year security officer at a Water Utilities borehole and a 49-year-old farmer in the area,” Kelebeng said.
“The security officer was given a lift by the farmer on a canoe before it apparently capsised after being struck by a hippo.
“An eye witness said he heard the two men screaming and when he drew near, he saw them in the process of drowning.
“When the witness attempted to swim into the river to save the two men, he was stopped by a hippo charge.” Kelebeng said the security officer’s body had been recovered and is now at Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital while the farmer was still being searched for.
Joo Bayei, an experienced guide in the Okavango Delta however told Mmegi that hippos are known to attack canoes and boats. “They are territorial and will attack anything they deem an enemy within a range of 2.5 metres. They attack in self defence by using the two incisors in their mouths,” he said.
District Wildlife coordinator, Timmy Blackbeard said a meeting had recently been held with the Sexaxa community where residents were warned of the dangers of hippos.
“No one is allowed to operate a boat in the area between 1630hrs {in the afternoon and 0800hrs in the morning {sic) as this is the time hippos graze and become more aggressive,” he said.
Matlapana councillor, Bathoni Poloko called on government to consider building a bridge over the Thamalakane River in the Sexaxa area to curb hippo attacks.
He said at present, boats and canoes were the only modes of transport in the area and these placed people’s lives at mercy of hippos.
“I have made numerous requests to government to build the bridge to no avail.
Bridges reduce incidents of wildlife and human conflicts.
“What is complicating the situation is that when hippos cause deaths it is difficult to identify the rogue hippo as there are many of them in the river and they all look similar,” Poloko said.