Tutume records 300 human-wildlife conflict cases

Tutume district is experiencing a high number of human-wildlife conflict cases especially elephants that continue to cause damage to property. Figures revealed recently highlight that the district recorded 323 human-wildlife conflict cases during the current financial year.

The district is made up of major villages such as Tutume, Maitengwe, Mosetse, Dukwi and Senete. The statistics were disclosed by the Tutume District Council (TDC) chairperson, Thatayaone Kehitile during an ordinary council meeting.

“The elephants continually destroy field fences, crops and water installations at the fields and cattle posts respectively whilst lions and other predators kill and prey on livestock,” Kehitile said when opening the council’s meeting.

Of the 323 cases, 169 were caused by elephants followed by 97 recorded reports of damages caused by lions. “We managed to compensate a total of 178 individuals at a total of P3.8 million during this financial year. We are currently in the process of paying the remaining 145 cases which are valued at P340,000,” Kehitile added.

Kehitile did not state any cases of people who were injured or lost lives as a result of attacks by wild animals. However, in the previous years the district recorded a few cases of attacks by wild animals on humans.

“I cannot over-emphasise the need for a lasting solution towards addressing the challenge of human-wildlife conflict, which is rampant in our district. The continued destruction of farms by wild animals is negatively impacting the output of farmers,” he said. The ever-growing elephant population in the country has often been cited as the reason behind a surge in human-wildlife conflict cases in the country. Botswana has an elephant population of over 200,000.

Government has also spent huge sums of money compensating individuals whose properties were destroyed by wild animals particularly elephants. Responding to a question in Parliament recently, the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Philda Kereng said between 2020 and 2021 government spent P24.2 million compensating individuals whose properties were destroyed by elephants.

She stated that in 2020, the ministry received 3,504 reports of elephant damage to ploughing fields across the country. In 2021, the reports totalled 4,047. Kereng also revealed that six species other than elephants cost government P14.1 million compensation in those years.

To deal with a surge of the elephant and wildlife population, government gives an annual hunting quota to tourists at a fee. However, animal rights groups strongly oppose the idea.

In fact, UK Parliament recently passed a Bill banning the importation of trophies hunted from around 6,000 species including lions and elephants. The move is seen as big blow to Botswana’s efforts to control the wildlife population in a bid to lessen the conflict between humans and wildlife.

Botswana

has an elephant population of over 200,000