Buffalo gores anti-poacher cop

A POLICE officer on an anti-poaching patrol is lucky to be alive after a lone buffalo charged at him and gored him at Hwange National Park last Monday.

The cop, only identified as Constable Nyandoro who was with two ZimParks rangers was rushed to St Luke’s Hospital after sustaining injuries from the attack.

ZimParks spokesperson, Mr Tinashe Farawo said the police officer was in a stable condition.

“Cst Nyandoro was attacked when he was on an anti-poaching patrol when the buffalo appeared from the bush and attacked him. The two rangers however, scared off the animal before it could cause more harm to the police officer,” said Mr Farawo.

He said Cst Nyandoro was rushed to hospital where he is receiving treatment and is in a stable condition.

“This was an unfortunate incident because we are getting more cases of people being attacked by buffaloes,” said Mr Farawo.

Rural communities in Hwange district adjacent the Hwange National Park have been living at the mercy of wildlife. Some have keen killed while livestock and plants are always at risk of being destroyed.

Last year, a man survived a buffalo attack while herding cattle after about 50 buffaloes strayed from the Hwange National Park which does not have a perimeter fence.

Qhaba Thebe, 35, of Thokozani Village in Sipepa under Chief Mathuphula in Tsholotsho, suffered deep cuts on his thighs after the attack.

In October, a 10 year-old boy died while the other was seriously injured after they were attacked by a buffalo in Chiredzi.

An 11 -year-old boy who was with the pair herding cattle in Gwayizi Village on Saturday, escaped and rushed home to report the attack.

Meanwhile, Mr Farawo said a 17 yearold girl was killed by a crocodile on the shores of Lake Kariba on Monday.

He said the crocodile attacked the girl as she was walking on the shores of the lake.—@AuxiliaK