30 Jan 2020

 The Department of Wildlife and National Parks is on high alert following the spotting of some elephants in the Kgatleng and Kweneng districts. 

Speaking in an interview at Mopipiwaditshwakga lands near Kgope in the Kweneng District, an official of the department, Ms Mercy Munyadzwe, said some elephants were spotted at Mantshwabisi cattlepost last week. 

She said within a day they were reported around Hatsalatladi area still in Kweneng and on Monday this week, they were reported at Mosaditshwene gate and around Dikgonnye and Kgope areas. 

Quizzed on whether it was the same head of elephants roaming around, she said Botswana Police Service Air Arm had since been engaged for aerial support and in order to get exact figures of the animals. 

She said initially three elephants were spotted but the department had since lost track of one which it was still searching for. 

Elephants were a common sight in unfamiliar territories especially during rainy seasons, said Ms Munyadzwe. 

The home range of elephants is the Nxai Pan in Boteti and areas such as Khutse Game Reserve while the Central Kgalagadi Game Reserve is a spillover due to large populations. 

Botswana is sitting on the biggest elephant population in the continent estimated between 130 000 and 200 000. 

They are constantly roaming northern Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia depending on climatic conditions. Ends