Jumbos destroy crops in Choma

Times of Zambia

A HERD of 44 marauding elephants and an unknown number of wild pigs have invaded Choma District in Southern Province, causing massive destruction to crop fields and other property.

District Commissioner, Laiven Apuleni, who confirmed this in Choma yesterday, described the situation as alarming and called for urgent intervention of the provincial administration.

Mr Apuleni said the elephants which arrived in the district yesterday were believed to have originated from neighbouring Zimbabwe.

“The situation is quite serious and alarming. We need helicopters to ascertain the exact number of the elephants that fanned out in all areas of the district,” he said.

He said the elephants had caused extensive damage to crops at Matumbi farm and other fields in Sibanyati area.

Mr Apuleni said people in the district were living in fear as the presence of the jumbos would lead to human-animal conflicts.

He said his office had written to Southern Province Permanent Secretary, Darius Hakayobe, to seek urgent intervention.
He further disclosed that an unknown number of wild pigs had invaded the district.

And Zambia National Farmers Union senior agribusiness manager, Florence Phiri expressed fear that most farmers would harvest little if the situation was not controlled.

Mrs Phiri said several farmers had reported massive crop damage to the fields.—ZANIS