WILD ANIMALS KILLING CATTLE

Residents in the Limpopo National Park (PNL) in the southern province of Gaza province, have complained that last year wild animals killed more than 700 head of cattle and are seeking ways to tackle the problem.

Speaking to Radio Mozambique, the park’s officer for community development, Tomas Meque, revealed that the highest losses were around the village of Mavodze in the district of Massingir. The village is one of five communities living within the PNL boundaries.

He explained that last year there was a growth in attacks on cattle by lions and hyenas. As a result, the park authorities have taken steps to mitigate the problem through increased surveillance and training. In addition, the authorities are installing irrigation schemes to promote local economic development.

The training will involve staff from the Limpopo National Park and from the District Economic Activities Services (SDAE) from the four districts that cover the park: Chicualacuala, Mapai, Mabalane, and Massingir. According to Meque, the training will have two stages. Firstly, how to define the conflict between animals and humans. And secondly, how to identify the most problematic animals so that the authorities can develop mitigating strategies. Another problem to be addressed is the destruction of crops along the banks of the Elephants River by elephants.

Meanwhile, a source in the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) has told AIM that the authorities are working to resettle families living in the park’s buffer zone. This will involve moving the 366 families living in Mavodze to the villages of Makwachane and Cahane, on the left and right bank of the Elephants River respectively.In 2001, the Limpopo National Park was created through a collaboration between the Mozambican government and the Peace Parks Foundation. It covers 1.1 million hectares and is part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park, which also includes the Kruger National Park in South Africa and the Gonarezhou Park in Zimbabwe. Between them, the three parks cover a total area of 5.5 million hectares.