Emergency Plan On Conflicts Between People And Wildlife
7 April 2010



Maputo — The Mozambican government on Tuesday adopted an emergency plan aimed at minimising conflict between people and wild animals.

The government spokesperson, Deputy Justice Minister Alberto Nkutumula, told reporters that the plan is centred on crocodiles, which are by far the most lethal species of large animal in the country. He said that over 130 crocodiles regarded as "problematic" will be shot, and thousands of crocodile eggs will be collected.

"This plan is based on the Strategy to Manage the Conflict between Humans and Wildlife", he said. "The main acts are the collection of crocodile eggs, the controlled culling of crocodiles, resettlement of the population, fencing conservation areas, and rehabilitating water sources". (Ensuring that people can draw clean water from wells and boreholes will avoid trips to rivers and lakes where crocodiles lie in wait).

Nkutumula added that the government will launch a tender for the production of signs warning people that they are approaching an area containing dangerous wild animals.

The government will complete building a 136 kilometres long fence round the Maputo "Special Reserve" (also known as the Maputo Elephant Reserve) south of the capital, as well as a barrier around the terrestrial portion of the Quirimbas National Park in the northern province of Cabo Delgado


At Tuesday's cabinet meeting, the government also approved a bill that sets up the Order of Veterinarians, the professional body that will regulate the exercise of veterinary medicine. This bill will now be submitted to the country's parliament, the Assembly of the Republic.

"The number of people trained in veterinary medicine in Mozambique has been increasing", said Nkutumula. "Many diseases contracted by people result from eating meat, or contacts between people and animals, hence the great importance of veterinary medicine for public health".

Membership of the Order of Veterinarians will become obligatory for anyone practising veterinary medicine. Vets who do not register will risk punishment for the illegal exercise of their activity".