13 Apr 2016

A joint operation of Botswana Police Service and Department of Wildlife and National Parks gunned down a roaming buffalo which was posing danger to residents of Ga-Mmapekanyane and areas of proximity on Monday.

Speaking in an interview after the incident, Supt Mmoloki Mogale of Kanye police said they received a report on Sunday that some men who escaped by a whisker were attacked by a buffalo around the area and ran for their life.

He said the police then responded to the report, looked for the buffalo the whole day but could not find it. However, on Monday they received another report that the buffalo was seen in the area by men who were atop the roof while building the house, he said

He said they then rushed to the area and confirmed that indeed it was a buffalo and called the Police Air Support Unit who responded swiftly to normalise the situation. After some few minutes the helicopter was on the scene and a combined squad of police and wildlife officers shot the animal in an animated episode.

Supt Mogale said they suspect that there could be some buffaloes around the area. He warns the public to be vigilant at all times to save lives. He said buffaloes were dangerous in nature and that any meeting with them could trigger an attack.

Supt Mogale said buffaloes could transmit diseases more especially to livestock. Veterinary officers were seen in the scene checking if the animal was harbouring diseases as a precautionary measure. ENDS