Wild animals reminiscent of elephants and buffaloes are freely roaming the streets in Victoria Falls at night time in quest of meals, placing the lives of residents and vacationers in danger.
In the course of the scorching season, elephants and buffaloes are a typical sight within the metropolis centre.
Zimbabwe Nationwide Parks and Wildlife Administration Authority (ZimParks) reported that 35 folks have been killed by wild animals because the starting of this 12 months.
Conservation biologist, Mr Malvern Karidozo of Wildlife Belief stated it isn’t a brand new phenomenon for wild animals to roam the streets at night time throughout the dry season.
“Infrastructure development such as roads, railways, pipelines and human settlements due to human population increases form barriers to wildlife movements, fragmenting habitats into ever smaller areas. Herds of elephants and buffaloes encounter challenges in terms of food and water during hot season hence they are then attracted to lush grass and sewer ponds in residential areas,” he stated.
“In African landscapes where growing human and elephant populations compete over limited resources, for example, human-elephant conflict causes crop loss, and may even result in human injury and death,” he stated.
In interviews, residents urged ZimParks to erect a fringe on the boundary of sport parks and residential areas to maintain animals at bay.
A resident, Mr Kanjala Nyoni, stated a number of elephants and buffaloes have these days been inflicting havoc at Courtney Selous by damaging property and crops.
“When elephants find their way into human settlements, they damage homes and other facilities and at times people lose lives, especially during mangoes season. I once saw a person being chased by an elephant, but luckily the person managed to escape,” he stated.
“His car was, however, extensively damaged by the jumbo.”
In yet one more case of human-wildlife battle in areas close to sport parks, a Victoria Falls man died after he was trampled by a stray bull elephant at an area church.
The incident occurred in May after midnight at Zionist Church of Christ in Hlalani Kuhle part in Mkhosana Suburb.
ZimParks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo urged members of the general public to keep away from strolling at night time in wildlife areas or disturbing animals habitats.
He stated ZimParks is finishing up steady consciousness campaigns to encourage folks to co-exist with animals.
Mr Farawo stated the long-term resolution is to maneuver among the animals from overpopulated to much less populated areas.