08 Jun 2016

Kgosi Joseph Ramaditse of Sepako in the Nata/Gweta constituency has proposed that authorities should visit places where there was wildlife to sensitise the community on the importance to protect wild animals.

He said this at a joint World Environment Day for north east, north west and central districts on Tuesday at Sepako.

Kgosi Ramaditse said although there were strict measures to fight poaching there were still a number of cases  of poaching around their area, adding that it calls for not only stiff punishments for perpetrators, but also measures to sensitise communities on why they should not commit such offences.

He said with the World Environment Day coming to their area, it was going to add to the awareness messages on the importance of wildlife to the people. He added that although poachers were often people from outside, they were assisted by locals who have the knowledge of the areas animals could be seen.

He appealed to the government to come up with initiatives that would not only fight poaching, but also spread the message of conservation through education.

Sharing similar sentiments was the general manager, corporate services of Botswana Ash, Ms Victoria Lekoma who added that there was need for education to appreciate the importance of preserving natural resources and nature.

Ms Lekoma said the excessive harvesting of wild berries such as mogwana could also lead to extinction, adding that the harvesting of mophane worms had long term  effects as it was no longer visible as it was in the past years.

Furthermore, she noted that around 1978 in Maun there were many rhinos around the Tlhamalakane River, but that over the years such animals were no longer seen.