01 Oct 2020

Elephant Protection Society founder, Mr Oaitse Nawa has called on stakeholders to come up with ways to address human/wildlife conflict.

Speaking at a press conference recently, he explained that human/wildlife conflict was a concern.

Mr Nawa said the organisation had recorded three incidents where people were killed by elephants at the beginning of year.

Elephant Protection Society is an organisation that promotes co-existence between elephants and the community by educating the latter about the value of elephants and other species.

Mr Nawa explained that as the dry season approached, human/wildlife conflicts cases arose in the Ngamiland region and emphasised the need to undertake awareness campaigns, to sensitise communities on ways to live harmoniously with wildlife.

He said during the season, wildlife especially elephants migrated in large numbers towards communities in search of water and thus posed a threat to people.

The organisation, he said intended to provide water for elephants within national parks and game reserves during the dry season, by building boreholes to reduce movement.

Meanwhile, Mr Nawa stated that efforts were at an advanced stage for the planned elephants campaign walk, aimed to educate communities on how to protect themselves from elephant attacks.

The campaign, to be held under the theme: Safe Livelihoods and Protect Elephants, is billed for October 5 in Shorobe and Maun West area MP, Mr Dumelang Saleshando is expected to attend the event.

Mr Nawa also noted that they would extend education to other prone areas such as Matsaudi, Boro, Xharaxao, Gogomoga and Moeti.

He said it was disturbing that some continued to shoot elephants while others used dogs to chase elephants away and pleaded with communities to refrain from that as it was an unsafe way to escape elephant attacks. ENDS