07 Jun 2021

The Department of Wildlife and National Parks has embarked on an operation to translocate warthogs from public areas.

In an interview, Chobe Wildlife regional officer Mr Matshelo Makhondo said so far 30 warthogs had been translocated to the Chobe National Park during an operation that started on June 3.

He said the operation would continue until all animals were relocated, explaining that it was initiated following public concerns that the increasing numbers of the warthogs threatened their safety.

He said the public was also concerned that the warthogs were intruding in their homes and scattered litter from the rubbish bins.

Mr Makhondo explained that in some cases the warthogs destroyed produce from farms adding that it became difficult for them to assist as destruction by warthogs had not been included under compensation.

He said the district leadership had also called for the translocation of the warthogs to which the minister gave the department green light to effect the exercise.

Mr Makhondo explained that the translocation exercise was carried out systematically and in a delicate manner to ensure that all the warthogs were moved to areas close to water points and habitable enough for them to survive in the natural environment. 

He expressed confidence that the warthogs would survive in the park as they are wild animals.

 Mr Dolph Matengu of Newtown ward welcomed the development and said the warthogs posed danger to the public. 

Mr Matengu was recently attacked by warthog on his way to the supermarket and he sustained deep cuts on the thigh. 

Another resident, Ms Iyani Ngandu said warthogs that scavenged for left-over food from her business were a nuisance as they scattered litter from the bin.

She thanked the DWNP for the translocation, adding that the warthogs sometimes became aggressive and chased children around.

In a full council meeting addressed by the Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism (MENT), Ms Philda Kereng on May 27, Councillor Boitumelo Kanyetu of Plateau called on the ministry to consider killing instantly the animals especially buffaloes that roamed and terrorised the community in built-up areas. 

He had said the warthogs had also increased in numbers and should, therefore, be relocated to the park. Councillor Kanyetu expressed fear that the warthogs could spread diseases to people. Ends