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Botswana: Buffalo Tramples Wildlife Officer to Death

25 JANUARY 2021
Botswana Daily News (Gaborone)
By Esther Mmolai


Maun — An employee of the department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) was trampled to death by a buffalo in the early hours of Monday (25 Jan).

North West regional wildlife coordinator, Mr Dimakatso Ntshebe confirmed in an interview that one of the employees aged 47 was attacked by the buffalo while responding to a report at around 5am.

He explained that the police received a report at around 4am from a member of the public that a buffalo had been spotted at the bus rank charging at people and that it had damaged his vehicle.

Upon receiving the report, he said a team of officers, which included police officers and officers from department of Veterinary and DWNP, was dispatched to search for the buffalo.



He said while tracking it along the Thuso rehabilitation Centre road, the team realised that it could be in the nearby bush and the deceased together with one member of the community went to look for it carrying guns.

Mr Ntshebe said the buffalo suddenly emerged from the bush and attacked the deceased while the other person managed to escape.

The deceased, he said sustained serious injuries as the buffalo broke his arm and gored him on the back.

Other members of the team, he said, managed to shot it and rushed the victim to Maun General Hospital where he died later.

He described the deceased who originated from Etsha 13 as a well-experienced officer who headed Problem Animal Control Unit.

Mr Ntshebe further revealed that since the beginning of the year, they had been receiving reports of buffaloes roaming the villages, noting that two had been killed so far.

He warned the community to be vigilant as they had observed an increase in movement of wildlife across the district. He said animals roamed freely because the elephants had damaged the buffalo fences.

Source : BOPA

I wonder what caliber they were using? Many scouts here carry the AK47 which is fairly useless in such situations.

Good question. I also wonder if the buff had been wounded/injured somehow and was none too happy about it.

Not much information for one to make any sense of it.

The buffalo was with a previous serious wound would be a logical conclusion.