Africa-Press – Botswana. Residents of Komana and surrounding villages have expressed concern about elephants currently roaming the area, destroying property and damaging field crops.
Kgosi Omphile Bogoma confirmed in an interview that elephants had been spotted in the village, wreaking havoc.
He called for urgent action from authorities, though two had already been killed, as they had inhabited newly allocated residential plots.
He said he suspected that the elephants were in search of water as many water sources had dried up.
Kgosi Bogoma appealed to members of the community to be vigilant at all times.
One of the residents, Mr Eeme Osenyeng expressed frustration that the jumbos had been terrorising them for the past two weeks.
He said the marauding elephants had invaded his farm at Qweqwe settlement, in the outskirts of Komana, destroying his maize, butternuts and bean crops in the process.
He noted that the elephants had impoverished him as they also destroyed his electric fence.
“It has become a norm that elephants trespass into my farm yearly despite efforts to put up an electric fence, to scare them away,” said a disgruntled Mr Osenyeng.
On Wednesday, four elephants were spotted feeding on his crops and drinking from a pond in his farm.
However, he appreciated that wildlife officers had managed to kill two of the animals, which were posing danger to the community.
Mr Osenyeng, who has hitherto been a subsistence farmer, revealed that he harboured hopes of going commercial, hence he had bought two tractors.
He noted that the elephants would not deter him because agriculture was a source of life.
He called on the government to find a lasting solution for human-wildlife conflict, suggesting cluster fencing with electric fence as a possible permanent solution.
Meanwhile, acting regional wildlife coordinator, Ms Pelotshweu Galebotswe appealed to members of the community to be vigilant and report any citings of dangerous animals to the relevant authorities.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
