LIVINGSTONE RESIDENTS SHARE MEAT FROM SOAK-AWAY DROWNED ELEPHANT
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
LIVINGSTONE residents on Saturday helped themselves to the meat of an elephant that drowned in a soak-away.
Thw world’s largest land mammal was on the receiving end of human-animal conflict in Dambwa North as it got stuck in its quest to find water.
As the animal stepped on the soak-away to drink water, the concrete could not contain the animal’ weight and collapsed immediately.
The elephant’s head got stuck in the soak-away and it later died.
And according to Department of National Parks and Wildlife wildlife rangers who spoke on condition of anonymity, residents threatened to riot if they were not allowed to share the meat.
“The animal apparently died out of drowning after its head got stuck in the soak-away system. We tried to pull it out of the ditch using a ZAF heavy truck so as to take it to our office, but we had to abandon the site when the crowd became unruly and threated to riot. So we gave them their wish,” explained one wildlife officer.
And after ZAF and wildlife officers conceded, pangas, axes, knives, or anything that could cut suddenly appeared in the hands of residents.
The residents mainly male youths, then mercilessly dissected the animal and later turned it into supper.
The Mast.
They said it was gift from God!
Apparently elephants have become a menace in many parts of Zambia. Crop destruction by elephants is likely to succeed the crop failure caused by drought. Clearly ZAWA has hopelessly failed to manage these animals. Do we have junkies even in ZAWA?
It was a terrible death for this poor animal looking for water and food but a celebration by the local residents as they are constantly being traumatised day and night by the same elephants.
What could be the solution to this animal/ human conflict?
1. Dig boreholes and create small lakes or dams that would be drinking spots for the animals
2. The Mosi-o-tunya park has no good natural grass for the animals to feed on, it therefore becomes the duty of the managers of the park to grow the grass and feed these animals
3. Set up deliberate programs for the local residents and Zambians to benefit form the animals that are within therir neighbourhood but with little or nothing to gain from them. This could even start from young boys and girls in grade 4 and upwards.This will make the children be goodwill ambassadors of park and animals and while at it how about discounted rates at the park and tourism facilities for them?
4. Please repair the wire/ fence it has be down for a long time and it will protect many lives.
Thank you