THIRTY-SEVEN village heads from Binga attended awareness training on human-wildlife conflict, after losing more than 200 livestock last year to lions and hyenas that stray from conservancies.
By Nokuthaba Dlamini
The one-day training was conducted by ward councillor Elmon Mudenda in Sinansengwe recently.
According to statistics, the 37 villagers from Siakabinga, Makondo, Chitete and Sinansengwe lost 53 cattle and 153 goats last year with most of them being devoured in their kraals.
“We had to meet so that we strategise and map way forward. My neighbours lost his beast on Friday because these lions prey on them. Beasts are not as fast and aggressive as buffalos, so knocking them down becomes easy,” he said.
“Hyenas prey on goats, but mostly at night in their paddock. The complaints had been mounting and Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority ( ZimParks) has tried to intervene without success. We have agreed to get every villager to restructure their kraal by roofing them with logs and also graze their livestock near their homes, among other precautionary measures.”
Mudenda said the ward was sandwiched by two national parks that are hunting zones and wild animals often would seek refuge near their homesteads.
The villagers were also taught about the importance of conserving flora and fauna and the implications of poaching should a villager be found committing the offense.
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Last year, 40 people were killed by wild animals in areas near conservancies.
