When wildlife roams

By Emmanuel Chilemba:

The longstanding human-wildlife conflict continues between communities and wild animals from Lengwe National Park in Chikwawa District, as authorities blame poachers for vandalising the fence.

For many years, the animals have been wreaking havoc in the surrounding areas, with the latest tragic episode involving a stray buffalo that killed two people and left others injured.

As the warm sunlight of daybreak crept over Jombo Village in Traditional Authority Ngabu in Chikwawa on June 15, the morning seemed as usual, filled with promise and the quiet riches of rural life.

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But in a heart-wrenching turn of events, the tranquillity was shattered when a stray buffalo from Lengwe National Park caused havoc in the area, claiming lives and leaving behind a trail of pain and fear.

“The buffalo killed a cow and then ran to the other side of the road, near Jombo Dip Tank, where a camp for flood survivors is located,” Group Village Head Jombo recalls.

He further narrates that the buffalo then attacked a woman with its horns, causing serious injuries.

“It then chased another woman carrying a child on her back. In an attempt to flee, the woman fell and the buffalo tore the child from her back.

“This has been an ongoing issue, but this incident was particularly fatal and unprecedented. Maybe the problem of water scarcity inside the park is driving the animals to run away in search of drinking water,” Jombo posits.

According to the police report in the possession of The Daily Times, the two victims died on the spot, while others were rushed to hospital.

Senior Chief Ngabu describes the incident as regrettable and a testament to the longstanding wildlife-human conflict dating back 30 to 40 years to when the park was established.

The chief says the animals have been wreaking havoc in the area, among other things destroying crops and houses.

“The issue has been raised by the communities and we have been escalating it to the government. Through the Department of Parks and Wildlife, they have erected a fence around the park but, unfortunately, poachers often vandalise it.

“So, this is regrettable, and we are urging authorities to take major steps in fixing the damaged fence and deploying additional game rangers to return stray animals to the park,” Ngabu grumbles.

Joseph Nkosi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Tourism, piles the blame for the development of human-wildlife conflict on the massive destruction of the fence by poachers.

Nkosi says in 2015 Lengwe National Park had a fence covering 45 kilometres.

“However, significant vandalism began in 2018, during which fence materials were used for kraal construction and smuggled into Mozambique.

“And in 2019, only 11 kilometres of the fence remained intact. Although some perpetrators were apprehended, incidents of vandalism continue to occur, undermining the fence’s effectiveness,” he says.

According to Nkosi, in light of the recent buffalo attacks and crop damage, the Lengwe office has held discussions with surrounding communities, which have expressed their commitment to addressing this issue as they await the reconstruction of the fence.

He believes that effectively managing human-animal conflict necessitates collaboration between the park and the communities, hence they are prioritising engagement and awareness initiatives, including training sessions.

This, he says, including plans to establish an emergency response system, would go a long way in addressing the escalating and longstanding human-wildlife conflict.

“The ministry, through the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, employs rangers who are available full-time in areas where incidents occur most frequently in order to address the issue by either deterring or culling problematic animals.

“Additionally, other measures under consideration include the establishment of an emergency response system, the development of a national human-wildlife strategy and the implementation of alternative fencing solutions that do not require significant resources,” Nkosi adds.

The development is not unique, as most communities surrounding the country’s wildlife reserves and national parks have been struggling with such cases over the years.

For instance, in the five years prior to African Parks’ management of Liwonde National Park in 2015, there were at least 50 recorded human fatalities surrounding the park as a result of elephant breakouts.

Nonetheless, according to African Parks, this contrasts with the five human fatalities outside the park in the seven years since it started managing the park.

The country’s environmental think tanks have been urging authorities to ensure fortified perimeters and implement other advanced measures to enhance security around such protected areas.

They argue that this would protect surrounding communities and support sustainable development in the sector’s contribution towards the country’s economic growth.