Mozambique's forests under threat: Shifting agriculture and wildfires drive tree cover loss - Atlai
Lions feasting on community livestock in Chicualacuala
8:03 CAT | 21 Sep 2017
File photo
Three lions prowling about and devouring cattle and goats are sowing panic and terror in communities in Chicualacuala district in northern Gaza province, Diário de Moçambique reported recently.
District administrator Hermenegildo Chiúre says lions from the neighbouring Limpopo and Kruger have killed six head of cattle and an unspecified number of young goats, and that a team of forest and wildlife rangers was in the area “to control the movement of the carnivores”.
Wildlife conflict is a concern in communities in the area, a result of the migration of wild animals from the Limpopo, Kruger and Gonarezhou parks, the latter located in the neighbouring Zimbabwe.
“This phenomenon is common in Chicualacuala, which means that we have to learn to live with these animals because our district is surrounded by national parks, especially that in neighbouring Zimbabwe,” Chiúre said.
He added that the government would continue deterring or killing problem animals which resist returning to their proper habitat.
“We have also seen situations where elephants, buffaloes and hippos destroy agricultural crops, which gives us no respite. When this occurs, it’s the government’s job to drive them away. We have had to kill particularly problematic animals in order to restore tranquillity to communities,” Chiúre revealed.
By Victor Muvale
Source: Diário de Moçambique
Show comments
Also read
Leave a Reply
Be the First to Comment!
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.