Jackals wreak havoc in Hurungwe

Herald Reporter
March 12, 2010

COTTON farmers in Chief Nematombo’s area in Hurungwe may have very little or nothing to harvest this season as packs of marauding jackals have turned to their crop for food.

The jackal problem comes a few weeks after St Boniface, Mukonori and Nhari areas, also under the same chief, experienced a devastating hailstorm that left many homes and schools damaged while several hectares of tobacco were shredded.

The most affected areas are Chitimbe, Karambazungu, Deve and Kahonde.

Mr Julius Bunda of Bunda Village in Chitimbe said, "I am losing hope daily.

"The jackals come in their large numbers during the night eating up the green bolls.

"My cotton is at boll formation stage and these dogs eat up the green bolls. The worst part of it is that I was contracted by the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe to plant two hectares and I do not know how I will pay back the debt." Mr Pension Kaseke echoed the same sentiments saying the jackals were very elusive and some farmers tried poisoning meat and hides, but this instead killed their own dogs.

Other farmers have resorted to sleeping in their fields and lighting fires to scare away the animals. Chief Nematombo has attributed the hailstorms and jackal problems to non-observance of the sacred day (Chisi).

"Until people respect Chisi and other traditional values, there will be a lot of these strange happenings. The spirits are very angry with transgressors and their wrath will be unleashed in different forms that include violent hailstorms and jackals," the chief said.

A Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union specialist said jackals sometimes feed on cottonseed because it is just like groundnut seed.

Man, they got that one right! Have some respect or expect some strange happenings! Piss off the spirits and look out!