19 Nov 2014

Two buffaloes, which have been spotted behind the Maun International Airport near the observer tower have been killed, principal wildlife officer, Mr Amos Ramokate has confirmed.

Speaking in interview, Mr Ramokate said the two female buffaloes were spotted by a passerby who immediately reported to the department of wildlife and national parks (DWNP) in Maun.

He said after they verified that the animals were indeed buffaloes, they decided to kill immediately since they were a threat to lives.

“The airport observer tower is surrounded by people, therefore we had to take them out on the spot and the other issue we considered was the possible spread of Foot and Mouth Disease,” he said.

Mr Ramokate said the buffaloes were later burnt at the dumping site as well as to burn the area where they were spotted to control Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).

He noted that the buffalo cordon fence, which restrained movement of wild animals, had been destroyed by elephants, which was why there were cases of buffaloes crossing to human areas. ENDS