31 Oct 2019

Kgosi Ezekiel Gulubane of Gulubane village in the North East District has expressed concern over elephants’ migration into his village.

In an interview with BOPA, Kgosi Gulubane stated that it was very uncommon for villages in the district to be a trek for elephants.

He stated that on Monday, he received a report that a herd of 10 elephants were seen by the Shashe river, where there was a filled up pond that occurred after the department of roads mined sand from the river.

The leader said  the Department of Wildlife and Forestry managed to shoot and kill a single elephant that was believed to be leading the herd.

Kgosi Gulubane said this was not the first incident of elephants transiting through his village as another herd was seen in August this year.

He expressed fear that those animals might have rested in their village vicinity at Ntimbale dam, which he said could be a danger to residents of Gulubane, Mambo and Masingwaneng because they had farms around the dam.

He further stated that unlike in the past where elephants were believed to move in a particular pattern, elephants now seemed to have changed pattern and migrated towards the East and Central parts of the country for greener pastures.

Kgosi said it was fortunate that so far the animals had not harmed anyone. 

However, he said they had caused massive destructions at the horticultural gardens by the river.

The village leader highlighted that it was very important for every Motswana to be educated about survival skills when they come across elephants or any other wild animals.

He said gone were the days when wild animals were only found in Chobe and Ngamiland areas hence stressed the need for public education on human wildlife conflict

.Kgosi Gulubane noted that they would continue to alert residents on wildlife migration during kgotla meetings.

On other issues, Kgosi said they were expecting seeds for the upcoming rainy season to arrive from the agricultural office.

He said farmers were ready for the ploughing season having cleared their farms, while tractor owners had serviced them.He indicated that farmers had ploughed during the last season though they did not reap much harvest due to shortage of rain.

The wildlife field officer in North East District Mr Odirile Kgotla confirmed in an interview that indeed a herd of 10 elephants was seen in Gulubane.

He stated that of the 10, seven were adults while three were calves that had been roaming in the village last week.Mr Kgotla said for the whole week they tried chasing away the herd but their efforts turned futile hence they resorted killing one of the elderly elephants.

He said it was after they shot one of the elephants, when the herd fled, adding that the field crew was currently monitoring the situation and was alert in case they returned.

The officer confirmed that the elephants had destroyed drinking wells, farm fences and horticultural gardens. ENDS