BY PRESTIGE MUNTANGA HYENAS have wreaked havoc in Umzingwane district, Matabeleland South province, where they are killing livestock.
Villagers yesterday told Southern Eye that this had become a perennial problem.
The most affected villages are Munkula, Sezhube, Newline and Kumbudzi, among others.
“The hyenas have been killing cattle, especially calves. The danger is that the hyenas are not confined to bushes, they pass through the villages. Every morning, villagers report that they have seen hyena tracks near their homes,” Thandanani Moyo said.
Methuseli Ndlovu said people were now living in fear.
“We are appealing to the authorities to take action as it is now dangerous for us to go to the grazing area to fetch our livestock as we might be attacked by hyenas. Right now, I am not sure about the number of livestock we have lost to hyenas, but it’s a lot,” Ndlovu said.
He said baboons were also preying on chickens.
Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson Tinashe Farawo said the problem of human-wildlife conflict was nationwide.
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“We are receiving these reports everyday, be it Umzingwane or Gutu. We are encouraging people to look after their livestock because people tend to drive their cattle, donkeys, or goats into the bush.
“We are on the ground teaching people about animal behaviour. We encourage people to report such incidents as soon as they notice the hyenas. We are dealing with this matter countrywide.”
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