Educate humans on how to co-exist with wildlife

Michael Magoronga, [email protected]

Back in 2021, a 35-year-old Kwekwe man was trampled to death by an elephant which was part of a herd that had encroached into the periphery of the Kwekwe central business district from a nearby conservancy.

The man was allegedly killed after he tried to take selfies with the elephant. The elephants had apparently been tracking along their corridor but found it blocked by human inhabitants and strayed.

Fast forward to 2024, amid the El Nino-induced drought that has been declared a disaster in most Sadc countries including Zimbabwe, people go out of their way to eke a living including entering uncharted territories.

These escapades include venturing into forests in search of food items, firewood, and water among other things.
Wildlife has also been hit hard by the drought as most water bodies have since dried up and they also go out of their way in search of water and food.

Humans and wildlife clash at water points, most of which are now shared due to the water crisis. This comes as statistics from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) show that close to 300 people were killed by wild animals and 308 injured between 2019 and 2023 as human-wildlife conflict cases continue to rise countrywide.

Zimparks director Dr Fulton Mangwanya was recently quoted as saying the situation on the ground is not pleasant.
“Sixty seven people were killed in 2022 and the number decreased in 2023 to 50 and the injured were 65 in 2022 and 85 in 2023.

We have 283 people who were killed from 2019 to 2023 and 308 injuries. 697 cattle, 1 113 goats and 118 donkeys were killed during the same period. This is not good for our people,” he said.

Redcliff is one such town with the potential of recording human wildlife conflict cases as baboons and monkeys have since invaded the mountainous dormitory town in search of food and water.

During a Masterplan presentation recently, lead planner, Dr Shamiso Hazel Mafuku highlighted the issue as a challenge.

“We have had an influx of baboons and monkeys as well as snakes in Redcliff. We should look for ways like engaging Zimparks to find ways of scaring them away,” she said.

Redcliff Mayor Councillor Vincent Masiiwa however, said the animals were not harmful to people. “They sometimes come to the homesteads in search of food. In as much as some of them get into people’s homes if your doors or windows are open, we have yet to hear of an incident where they have harmed a human.

“In fact, I encourage that whenever they come, people should give them their space and avoid being confrontational,” he said.

Clr Masiiwa however, said they are engaging Zimparks to educate the community on co-existence. “We want people to be educated to live harmoniously with wildlife. If they see a snake they should alert Zimparks instead of trying to kill it as it might result in unnecessary loss of lives,” he said.

Mr Onward Fume, the Senior Wildlife and Conservation Officer for Sebakwe Anti-poaching and Conservation Group which operates within the Sebakwe Conservancy between Mvuma and Kwekwe, said humans and wildlife should learn to co-exist.

The conservancy shares bounderies with the Midlands Black Rhino Conservancy (MBRC) and both have had an influx of uncoordinated settlements as farmers are getting pieces of land within the conservancies.

The challenge is that the unregulated human settlements are taking place, some of them along elephant corridors.
“We have a problem of uncoordinated settlements within the conservancy especially in the Mahamara area.

“Though some farmers understand how to co-exist with wildlife, the majority of them do not know anything which poses a great threat to both humans and wildlife.

“In fact most of them are building their homesteads along corridors which becomes a problem when the elephants track back,” he said.

Mr Fume said due to climate change, humans and animals are meeting at water points and there is a need to educate humans on how to co-exist with wildlife.

“Most water points are drying up due to siltation and climate change effects. The situation becomes dire for both humans and wildlife and they share water bodies which becomes dangerous for both of them.

“We are however, carrying out environmental awareness around the Sebakwe Conservation Complex so that we make people aware of the dangers and what to do if they encounter wildlife,” he said.

Midlands Black Rhino Conservancy Conservator, Mr Brilliant Chibura echoed the same sentiments saying haphazard settlements had exposed wildlife to many risks.

“There are areas where crop fields have been established on elephant and rhino corridors. “The black rhino no longer has access to the whole 63 000 hectares of the MBRC, resulting in a clumped population dispersal model which exposes them to poaching.

“A rhino calf was lost to snaring in May 2024. Two elephants were wounded in May in a problem animal control attempt.

“They had eaten crops at an unfenced new crop field that was established on their corridor for many decades. Elephants have a long-term memory of their routes, and it’s sad to think how many more elephants will be taken in this manner,” he said.

Presenting the Zibagwe Rural District Council Masterplan recently, lead planner, Mr Jamison Mikuku highlighted the need to preserve corridors saying they cause unnecessary clashes between humans and wildlife.

“There are encroachments by farmers and poaching threatening the life of the conservancy. “The conservancy is also facing overdrawing of water from Sebakwe Dam even when the dam is below 50 percent cut off point.

“This justifies the need for planning interventions to introduce order and co-existence of the two conflicting land uses through zoning,” he said.

Mr Mikuku said population growth of both humans and wildlife created land use conflicts in the district which require spatial planning interventions.

He said co-existence should be explored and the MBRC should be protected from poaching and encroachment through land use zoning.

Zimparks spokesperson, Mr Tinashe Farawo is on record saying the growing population of both humans and wildlife calls for co-existence.

“The human population continues to grow while the wildlife population also continues to balloon but the land size remains the same.

“There is therefore a need to coexist between humans and wildlife, giving each other space. Given the climate change conditions, humans and wildlife also tend to clash at water points and there is a need to give each other space,” he said.

Statistics show that the Hwange National Park, with a capacity of holding about 15 000 elephants, is now home to about 50 000 elephants.