12 Nov 2020

Good animal husbandry practices coupled with   non-lethal predator control can assist in addressing human-wildlfe conflict

During a workshops conducted by the Department of Wildlife in Ghanz for Takatswane cattle post   farmers and Boineelo syndicate members recently, Cheetah Conservation Botswana (CCB) members argued that non-lethal deterrent predator control did not only conserve the predator but environment too as predators were key in maintaining  healthy ecosystem.  

The farmers were encouraged to establish strategies that were not at odds with conservation, such as introducing guarding dogs to their herd and constructing predator proof kraals. 

CCB offical, Mr Mbinda Balekanye stated that farmers should know the primary predators within their livestock grazing areas in order to make an informed decision on how to control the predators.

Mr Balekanye encouraged farmers to introduce livestock guarding dogs, particularly for goats and sheep ,saying they could effectively protect them from predators.

He stated that CCB had trained and donated over 67 livestock guarding dogs to Ghanzi community so far.

He also urged farmers to build predator proof kraals.

Senior wildlife ranger, Mr Otsile Kgotlaetsile emphasised that coexisting with predators was key as predators were important in ecosystem.

He said though the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism had embraced   agro tourism, it did not mean that wildlife tourism should be neglected. Instead he said, they should complement each other.

Senior wildlife ranger Thatayaone Letlhare thanked farmers as the office had not received reports of poisoning predators in their area.

Mr Letlhare cautioned against   poisoning predators, saying animals in the food chain could be at risk and poison could infiltrate the water table.

He advised farmers to kraal their livestock during the night and let them to graze during the day because some predators could not cope with hot weather.

Farmer’s among them, Ms Gakebaitse Gaboitsalwe who said had 133 small livestock, being 104 goats and 29 sheep said they were terrorised by that jackals and hyenas. Ends