Residents count losses as jumbos wreak havoc

Victoria Falls Reporter
April 21,2010



IN an incident that has left the residents of Victoria Falls counting their losses, elephants have descended on the resort town where they have destroyed pre-cast walls and fences in search of fruits and sugar cane.
The most affected residents are from Mkhosana township and from the low-density suburb, popularly known as "kumayard", where residents are now cutting down anything green that attracts the elephants.
As a result, fires, horns, and drum-beating are now common in the usually quiet town as residents are using anything within their means to chase away the elephants. Residents are also up in arms with the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority for allegedly failing to protect them and their property from the elephants.
In separate interviews, the residents said they were now living in fear because of the elephants, which are roaming the streets every night.
"Part of my wall was brought down by elephants, which wanted sugar cane that was in my yard, on two different occasions. They are really breaking any barriers so as to get to the sugar cane, bananas and any other fruit that is in a yard," said Mr Mike Sibanda from "kumayard".
Chronicle found some people repairing their walls.
"They are becoming a major problem, we thought they were after the maize crops only. But now they are after anything green that is found in our yards. I am not the only one who has had his fence brought down," said another resident.
As a result, some residents are busy destroying banana trees, sugar cane and any fruit trees from their yards.
"I hope and pray that the elephants will not bother me since I have removed from my yard the sugar cane that they want," said Ms Maria Tembo from Mkhosana township.
According to parks officials, they have tried to chase the elephants away, but they are always coming back.
"We have deployed teams in the surrounding areas to chase them away. We have fired bullets in the air but they are coming back. The problem is that they are just too many in the park and the weak ones are the ones terrorising the residents and the villagers in the district," said a parks official.
The elephant population in the country now stands at around 100 000.
The country's holding capacity is just plus or minus 45 000.

too bad that Zim PH's can't legally offer PAC hunts. would be a win- win situation for the locals, although obviously not a traditional ele hunt. would be kind of like urban combat-house to house!!