Large herds of elephants have destroyed crops as well as killing a person in Serengeti District, a wildlife official disclosed here yesterday.
“The elephants have been invading villages at the same time destroying crops for the whole month of July,” said John Lendoyane, in an interview. According to him the stray jumbos killed a 55-year-old man of Nyamatoke village when he was tending his farm.
The elephants are reportedly migrating from Ikorongo/Grumeti Game Reserves and the Serengeti National Park seeking pastures. “One of the reasons is drought and also the animals are following their traditional routes,” he said.
Peasants living in the affected villages complained that the ramping animals have this time reached villages that are not close to the game protected areas. Lendoyane said efforts to chase them were being hampered by poor roads. “The animals are many. It’s indeed a big issue,” he said.
He said the elephants have destroyed various crops, mostly maize farms, in many villages of the district. Serengeti officials say more than 20 of their villages are prone to rampaging elephants. Other districts of Mara region affected by the problem are Bunda and Tarime.
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