Elephants destroy fields in Zimbabwe
Xinhua News Agency
06 Apr 2006

HARARE, Apr 6, 2006 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Despite the prospects of a good
farming season this year in Zimbabwe's perennially drought-prone
Matabeleland, local farmers are set to realize low yields as a result of
elephants which have invaded the areas.

Most parts of Zimbabwe, including some semi-arid areas, this year received
normal to above-normal rainfall.

But prospects of a bumper harvest in the area were fading each day following
the invasions by the elephants, local media reported on Thursday.

Chief of the area, Romano Senga Nekatambe, was quoted by The Daily Mirror as
saying that elephants were wrecking havoc in the fields.

"This year, everyone was expecting a bumper harvest in my area, but it
appears all hope has been lost because of elephants which have turned the
lives of many people upside down.

People are literally sleeping in their fields in a desperate attempt to
protect their crops," said Nekatambe.

He described the elephants as daring and aggressive.

Nekatambe said he would soon approach the Department of Wildlife and
National Parks over the issue.

The Senator for the area, Grace Dube, also echoed the traditional leader's
concern.

"We really have a problem here. The government had done all it could to
assist farmers, but it seems the elephants are letting us down," she said.

Dube said some villagers have resorted to prematurely harvesting their crops
due to the problem.

The elephants believed to be coming from Hwange National Park were also
reportedly said to be destroying granaries in search of food.

Apart from the elephants, Dube said crickets have also destroyed crops in
some areas in the southern African country.

Those darn elephants are always letting people down. . .When are they going to change their ways?

Anyone interested in a PAC cricket hunt?

465H&H

I'm leaving for Zim on June 9th to do my part - to the elephants that is, not the crickets.