10 Sep 2018

North West regional wildlife coordinator Mr Timothy Blackbeard has urged Maun residents to be vigilant as there are many cases of elephants coming into the village.

Mr Blackbeard said this in an interview after the Department of Wildlife and National Parks in Maun received a case of about nine elephants that were found around the Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) camp near Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital recently.

Mr Blackbeard said wildlife officers monitored the situation expecting that the animals would leave on their own. However, he said the elephants lingered around the camp gate and could not leave due to interruption from traffic from the nearby road.

He said wildlife officers, together with other law enforcers, tried to drive the elephants out after halting traffic in the road, but that it proved futile as some motorists used divergent routes which disturbed the elephants and that the department abandoned the mission since the elephants were becoming aggressive.

He said on Saturday eight of the elephants had left the camp on their own with only one left behind.

He said the remaining one which seemed aggressive was darted to make it docile before it was captured and transported in a truck to the buffalo fence by Shorobe where it was released.

Mr Blackbeard said the mission was successful since only law enforcers were doing the job.

He further cautioned Maun residents to avoid bothering the animals when they see them and to report to the wildlife department or other law enforcers.

He said some people engaged in risky activities such as throwing stones while some took selfies. He said the behaviour may make them aggressive. He said the recent group was dangerous since there was an aggressive bull and two young ones.

Mr Blackbeard said people should take care of themselves as they have had cases of other animals such as buffalos and wild dogs in the camp before and elephants in other parts of Maun like Moeti ward. ENDS