Vema: Stray Elephants Create Panic

Four elephants suspected to have come from neighbouring Gabon, have for over a month now been causing havoc in Vema village and its environs.

Fear and uncertainty is the atmosphere in Vema village, a locality situated in the Ebolowa II sub division of the South Region of Cameroon, as stray elephants have been wondering about the village and its environs.

The numerous footprints and excrement seen in the forest and the neighbouring farms by inhabitants justify the presence of these elephants.

The elephants are said to have destroyed farms, with cocoyam and plantains being their main target. This constitutes a major threat to the population. They have also been spotted in the centre of the village causing panic in the inhabitants.

Villagers Testify
Some villagers attest that they have seen a herd of 4 elephants wonder about. “I have seen them once. I came to the farm at 6am to harvest Cassava to go and sell in Yaounde,” Daniel Okono a farmer in Vema said. He added that when the elephants notice his presence, the bigger one started raising its ear and tail. “I had to run for my dear life.” he added.

“After midnight, my wife woke me up that the elephants were behind the house. We hurriedly came out and she pointed a torch at them. I also started hitting pieces of aluminium sheets which I found around. They got scared and escaped.” another inhabitant said.

The South Regional Delegate for Forestry and Wildlife, Severin Minkarako while speaking to CRTV Ebolowa said the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife signed a new authorisation on September 20, 2022, to repulse the animals.

He further went on to explain that the mission will be carried out in the days ahead. “We are presently assembling the materials as well as human resources for the activity.

Cameroon’s Wildlife Regulation
It should be noted that in Cameroon, elephants are protected by law. Notably the Cameroonian law on species which condemns any one killing or trafficking in protected wildlife species.

The law provides for a prison sentence of 3 years and a fine of up to 10million CFAF.

To effectively implement the law, the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife Jules Doret Ndongo sighed a press release few weeks back, issuing a toll free number “1307”  to report any of such actions.

This number the Minister said is reachable on Monday to Friday.