Predators on rampage around Serowe
29 January, 2010


SEROWE - The Department of Wildlife and National Parks in Serowe region has recorded 635 livestock deaths caused by predators since the beginning of 2009 to date.

In an interview, the Regional Wildlife Officer, Mr Amos Ramokate said of the number of domestic animals killed, the predators accounted for the loss of 150 cattle, 160 calves, 90 donkeys and 25 horses as well as 210 small livestock.

Mr Ramokate explained that reports of calves and small stock being killed by the predators were relatively high and he attributed this to the fact that this group is generally defenseless.

He said lions and leopards were reported to have caused havoc in the cattle posts located in the Sandveld area near the Kalahari Game Reserve where they sneaked into the ranches and killed cattle.

Meanwhile, in other areas in the Serowe region, wild dogs, leopards and hyenas accounted for a large number of deaths in relation to small livestock.

Four hundred and eighteen animals were killed by leopards while the wild dogs and hyenas accounted for 103 and 60 cases and the Cheetah 19 cases.

Mr Ramokate said leopards were responsible for a large number of animal deaths starting from as far as the cattle posts in the Sandveld area because they easily adapt to any kind of environment.

He further stated that the leopards lived in rocky areas where they can hide in caves.

Most losses due to the leopards are said to have occurred near Paje, Mabeleapodi and Majwanaadipitse including the Mogome and Mokgware areas because these places were located near the rocky hills.

The wildlife officer also explained that losses attributed to wild dogs and hyenas were reported all over the Serowe region.

He said the wild dog was a fast animal, which could cover more than 30 km in a day.

He said wild dogs were reported to have been harassing livestock near Paje, Mabeleapodi and Tshimoyapula covering about 30 km a day.

The hyena is also a highly mobile and evasive predator.

Other places in the Serowe region that have been hard hit by the predators include Phokoje, Dankome and Kgokgo ranches Metsibotlhoko, Motlhatsi, Hulapotsane and Moriri lands as well as Xoba Xoba, Tshoswane and Mokobaesi cattle posts.

Mr Ramokate said 33 predators were killed mainly by farmers out of which 25 were leopards, five lions, two hyenas and one wild dog. He said in terms of section 46 of the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act of 1992, farmers were allowed to kill problem animals, which damage their property and report the cases to the nearest wildlife or police office not later than seven days after the incident.

He also stated that compensation was paid to those who lose their animals to the predators.

He explained that farmers were given P1 050 per cow, heifer or ox while P350 was paid for calves and fowls and P70 for donkeys.

Compensation for a horse is P1 400 and P1 925 for a bull. BOPA