http://allafrica.com/stories/201201170765.html

Farmers in Increasing Battle With Wildlife

Irene !hoaës

17 January 2012



Windhoek — Farmers in the Kunene and Erongo regions in the vicinity of the Ugab River continue to lose animals through so-called human-wildlife conflict (HWC).

Farmer Johnny Nambimbo from Otjikakaneno, also known as Onverwag, has lost over 77 livestock over the past five years, due to HWC.

These include small livestock and large livestock.




According to the 68-year-old Nambimbo, elephants killed 38 goats in his kraal in 2007, while 11 calves were killed by 'wolves' and leopards.

The rest of the animals were killed the following years and the last one this month when an elephant entered his kraal and trampled a goat to death.

Last December, an elephant came to his kraal early in the morning, "picking up goats one by one and smashing them to the ground", said Nambimbo who witnessed the incident from a safe distance.

"I had to 'talk' to the elephant nicely, asking him not to kill my animals. He just looked at me and walked away," Nambimbo related the surrealistic incident.

He said some animals were disemboweled after being attacked by wild animals.




"When the animals drink water, it comes out through the opening and eventually I have to kill them. This is a great loss to me as a farmer," the pensioner added.

In one incident, a leopard killed eight of his sheep in one spree but only ate one of the carcasses. Elephants also destroyed Nambimbo's water pump.

"These December holidays were particularly difficult for us, as we had to fight elephants the whole night so that they did not come to our homesteads," Nambimbo related.

"I tell you, if those elephants decide to stay and drink water, our animals do not get a chance to drink water, as they are being chased around," he said.




When animals give birth in the bush, chances that they would return with their newly-born are zero, as they would most likely be eaten by a 'wolf', leopard or a cheetah.

Nambimbo is not aware of a scheme whereby conservancies compensate farmers for their losses.

"I do not know about these things. I even told Mr Maketo, who is the chief warden in our area, about my problems, but we still have these problems," he said.

The troubled farmer, who is also a war veteran, said he bought some of the animals that died from a N$60 000 loan from Agribank.

"I have paid the loan off but now I have nothing," said the farmer.

He has been applying for a resettlement farm over the years but to no avail.



Although he is a registered war veteran, Nambimbo said he "received a number" but no money.

He is now appealing to anyone who can help him with a camp to rent, so that he can take the rest of his animals to safety.

Deputy Director of Wildlife Management, Colgar Sikopo, says elephants become violent when they see something in their path to a water source.

He said it may be that the kraals are close to the water infrastructure and this could be the reason for the elephants' aggression.

Nambimbo's story is not unique, as HWC is a constant problem in areas where people have to co-exist with wild animals.

Attempts to get hold of the local Tsiseb Conservancy were unsuccessful.