The Beitbridge Rural District Council (BRDC) has brought in professional hunters to help deal with the ongoing problem of elephants clashing with communities across the district.
Elephants have become a regular headache for people living near water sources, particularly along the Umzingwane, Shashe, Bubi and Limpopo rivers.
Areas most affected include Shashe, Dite, Lukange, Whunga, Mpande, Tshambombela, Tongwe and Tshikwalakwala.
The animals often wander into these communities in search of food, destroying crops and putting local livelihoods at risk.
BBRDC chief executive officer Kiliboni Mbedzi said on Tuesday that the council is working with various stakeholders to find ways to reduce human-wildlife conflict and encourage safer coexistence. Said Mbedzi:
“As the local authority, we have engaged professional hunters working with the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) and safari operators to mitigate the effects in all the affected areas.
“We will continuously respond to distress calls from the community members. At the moment, we are doing our best, albeit with resource constraints.
“The herd is migrant, and it’s hard for us to be everywhere all the time, but let me assure members of the community that the council is committed to finding sustainable solutions.”
Measures already in place, along with those being proposed, include the use of elephant deterrents such as chilli blocks and beehive fences, as well as the creation of wildlife corridors to help reduce human-wildlife conflict.
Mbedzi urged communities to remain vigilant and to report any elephant sightings to the relevant authorities.
She added that the council will continue working with stakeholders to safeguard villagers and protect their livelihoods.
More: The Herald
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