http://allafrica.com/stories/201204100713.html


Namibia: Elephant Kills a Person Near Khorixas
By Adam Hartman, 10 April 2012



A PERSON was killed by an elephant near Khorixas the past weekend while a rogue elephant bull that was terrorising the Ozondati area in Erongo was wounded in an attempt to destroy the "problem animal", and has now become "extremely dangerous".

MET's Deputy Director of Parks and Wildlife Management, Colgar Sikopo yesterday confirmed that a person was killed near Khorixas, but could not give more information.

"We received a report of the incident, but as to the details, I cannot help you until we have investigated the matter," he said.

He also confirmed that a registered professional hunter of big game was appointed to destroy the elephant bull at Ozondati last week after a report from senior MET officials labeled the elephant as a "problem animal".

On Friday, the hunter allegedly hit the bull in its chest, wounding it.

"Now the elephant is running away from us and is maybe hiding. But we know he is now also extremely dangerous," Traditional Authority Councillor of Ozondati, Fabianus Uaseuapuani, yesterday (Tuesday) told The Namibian.

He said the community is "very angry" with the poor way in which the matter is being dealt with because it has taken so long for the ministry to respond to the plight of the community regarding the animal's behaviour.

"We must kill this animal before it comes and kills one of us," he said.

According to Uaseuapuani, the animal is being tracked, and on Tuesday, the tracks led the hunters and MET officials to a popular water hole, "but no elephant".

The wounded Ozondati bull, Sikope said that it was from the same herd as all the others elephants (estimated to be about 50 in all in the area).

Over the past three weeks, the elephant moved between the houses in the villages of Otjivero, Okoshoto and Omao near the Ohungu Conservancy, and has already destroyed a water pipe-line at Okoshoto, which left people there without water for three days. Besides this, is has destroyed fences and kraals and threatened homesteads. It has also chased cows and goats and on one occasion, a shepherd had to run for his life when the elephant chased him while he was looking for his animals. People were terrified to leave their homes.

Attempts were made to chase the animal away from the communities but it kept returning - probably because of the guaranteed water supply, Sikope alleged.

"There's something wrong with this one. Usually it is a cow with a calf that acts like this, but this bull seems to have been separated from the herd, and started to act funny," said Sikopo.

Now it's even more dangerous, having been wounded.

A professional hunter had to finish off the animal, but according to Sikope, there were no professional hunters in the Ohungu Conservancy.

"The hunter will shoot the animal and will be able to take with him the trophy. The meat will go to the people in the area, and the hunter may even pay a small fee toward the conservancy to assist them to fix water supply points for instance," said Sikopo.

In the meantime, Sikopo also confirmed that a person was killed near Khorixas over the weekend by an elephant, but could not give more information.

"We received a report of the incident, but as to the details, I cannot help you until we have investigated the matter," he said.

Responding to allegations that bureaucracy was stalling assistance to reduce conflict between the animals and the community, Sikopo said that the area was a "priority area" of MET, which enjoys attention all the time.

"We have a programmme for the area, and there are wardens and anti-poaching teams in there most of the time. It is an important area in Erongo, and mechanisms are being implemented to reduce the conflict," he said.

Sikopo said that the sites for two special boreholes, that will be solely for the use by elephants, away from the communities' water sources have already been identified.

"The new boreholes will be created just for the elephants, so they can be attracted away from the communities there and have there own secure water source. The sites have been identified, and the boreholes should be in place within this year," he said.

Another measure to reduce the conflict between the people and the animals will involve the establishment of a 'patrol camp' in the area where MET officers can stay for longer periods. This camp should be completed by next month, according to Sikopo.

"Then we intend to establish a permanent station there and so we would not have to depend on officers from Swakopmund or Omaruru, but have permanent posts there to monitor and patrol the area," he said.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201204100417.html



Namibia: Hunter Guns Down Jumbo
By Lorraine Kazondovi, 10 April 2012Comment


Windhoek — A trophy hunter shot and killed an elephant a week ago, according to the Councillor of the Daures Constituency in the Erongo Region, Ernst Katjiku.

Katjiku explained that the animal was problematic and caused fear among residents in the Ozondati area. It caused extensive damage to property.

He added that the head, tusks and hoofs were bought for N$60 000 of which N$20 000 was allocated to the Game Trust Fund and the remaining N$40 000 allocated to the Ohungu Conservancy in Ozondati.

The meat was donated to the community for consumption as many people relish elephant meat.

Human wildlife conflict has been going on for the past 20 years, according to Katjiku.

As a result, a delegation from the Erongo Region including Katjiku held their first meeting with the Minister of Environment and Tourism (MET), Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on Wednesday last week.

Further representing the ministry was Deputy Uahekua Herunga and Deputy Director of Wildlife Management at MET, Colgar Sikopo "Our resolution was to have all elephants removed or have their number reduced from the Ozondati and surrounding areas, about 100 kilometers from Omaruru," said Katjiku.

The delegation requested that water points be established for the elephants far from homesteads and to have rangers from the ministry permanently placed in elephant-prone zones.

They also proposed that the conservancy fund for the human versus wildlife conflict scheme be increased and be made market related. They also proposed that the fund should compensate farmers N$600 for a goat if killed by wild animals.

In addition, funeral cover for human life is N$5000 which is allegedly not enough for a coffin, fuel and funeral arrangements and the delegation proposed that it be increased.

In response, Nandi-Ndaitwah reportedly confirmed that two boreholes would be completed by June this year, in addition to sending rotating staff for an office to be established in the area by June.

She added that the ministry does not offer compensation, but only assists affected people.

She told the delegation that the fund would be reviewed to see whether the fees can be increased.

Nandi-Ndaitwah also added that it would be difficult to place tracking devices on about 20 000 ele-phants in the country as they roam around and are not found at the same location all the time.

She added that the possibility of increasing quotas to conservancies to shoot elephants would be looked at.

This is when trophy hunters shoot and buy the animals and can provide the meat to the community Katjiku explained.

quote:

Nandi-Ndaitwah also added that it would be difficult to place tracking devices on about 20 000 ele-phants in the country as they roam around and are not found at the same location all the time.

Now that is a profound statement.

SSR

Who was the PH, Karl?