Buffalo attack Chipinge man

A 35-year-old Chipinge man is lucky to be alive after he was attacked by a buffalo that strayed from the Save Conservancy last Saturday.

Mbengo Maphosa of Mutorwa Village under Chief Musikavanhu was rushed to Mutare Provincial Hospital after he sustained deep cuts all over his body from the vicious attack.

Chipinge Rural Ward 20 councillor, Mr Charles Mugidho, confirmed the incident and said the marauding buffaloes were terrorising villagers.

“A villager Mbengo Maphosa was attacked by a male buffalo on Saturday morning while returning from his field. He was taken to Chibuwe Clinic but due to his serious condition he was transferred to Mutare.

“Villagers are living in fear since last Friday after five buffaloes strayed from the conservancy. People here are no longer walking freely and the Parks and Wildlife Department has not heeded to our calls yet. There is need for urgent intervention before human life is lost and we are appealing to stakeholders to rescue us from these dangerous animals,” he said.

Cllr Mugidho said the wild animals were also destroying crops.

“The buffaloes are not attacking humans only but they have destroyed hundreds of hectares of sugar beans.

“They are also transmitting highly contagious diseases such as foot and mouth to our livestock. We are calling on the Government to consider erecting a perimeter fence at Save Conservancy.”

Efforts to get comment from Parks and Wildlife Department were fruitless at the time of going to print.