At least 72 Zimbabweans have been killed by wild animals since the beginning of 2021 amid a surge in human-wildlife cases, a senior official said on Thursday.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) spokesman Tinashe Farawo said most of the deaths occurred near wildlife habitats where animals increasingly come into contact with humans while in search of food and water.
“Water and food shortages are the main reason why animals move a lot searching for these,” Farawo told the state-run Herald daily.
He also cited the overpopulation of elephants and other animal species as another reason behind the increase in human-wildlife conflict.
“There is also over-population, which can only be addressed by translocating the animals to less populated areas,” the official said.
Elephants and crocodiles accounted for over 90 percent of the killings, followed by lions and buffaloes.
ZimParks has embarked on a campaign to educate people on how they can reduce or prevent attacks.
“We are carrying out awareness campaigns to educate people on what they are supposed to do to protect themselves from wild animals. We also encourage people to minimise movements at night to avoid animals because they move a lot during the night.”
JN/APA