North East battling rising human-wildlife conflicts

434,Pini Bothoko,php3A86.tmp.jpg, | Tuesday May 24, 2016 00:00

Mpetsane said this when delivering a speech during the ongoing full council meeting this week, saying that the Department of Wildlife and National Parks continues to record an increase in human-wildlife conflicts.

She said 228 cases of damages amounting to P961,398 caused by elephants were registered at Patayamatebele, Ditladi, Matopi and Matsiloje and few incidents reported at Zwenshambe, Mapoka, Tshesebe and other villages in the Tati East constituency, with the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism currently facilitating compensation payments.

“The number of incidents are increasing as compared to previous years and this may be influenced by increased elephant population,” Mpetsane said.

She said for years, residents of the NED lived in fear of elephants that continue to terrorise villagers.

Elephants occasionally migrate from Zimbabwe into Botswana and visit Ramokgwebana River that separates Botswana and Zimbabwe, as it is believed to be having plenty of water all year round.

Mpetsane said they (elephants) frequently destroy the border fence, destroy people’s crops and she feared for the future of farming in those areas.

Early this year, farmers’ efforts around Jackals No.1 and Tshesebe went up in smoke overnight after baboons and monkeys wreaked havoc on their farms.

It was reported that they (baboons and monkeys) usually strike at night and early in the morning when farmers are not around, targeting and destroying maize and sorghum.

Despite the continued damages, Mpetsane advised farmers not to despair but to continue ploughing.

Meanwhile, Mpetsane told councillors that recently 10 buffaloes gained access into communal area of zones 3c and 6a.

She said zone 3c covers seven villages in NED being Masunga, Mbalambi, Sekakangwe, Matenge, Mosojane, Mapoka and Moroka.

She said the effort to remove the buffaloes around Tutume extension area commenced on November 2 and the situation was still being monitored.

“This has resulted in restrictions in the movement for cloven- hoofed animals and their fresh derived products have been imposed with immediate effect. Movement of live cloven-hoofed animals into and out of Zones 6a and 3c is not allowed except direct slaughter,” she said.

She added: “Fresh products including red meat, sawdust and mincemeat are not allowed out of veterinary disease control 6a and 3c. Only movement of all processed ready to eat products like sour milk, dry salted biltong, cheese, butter, yoghurt is allowed into and out of disease control for both zones”.

Mpetsane pleaded with all to adhere to the regulations to reduce further livestock threats. The buffaloes invasion has reportedly affected the importation of small stock under poverty eradication programme from Letlhakane into the district.