Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, [email protected]
RESIDENTS of Victoria Falls have intensified calls for the Government to fast track the operationalisation of the newly established Human Wildlife Conflict Fund, as wildlife experts urge communities living in buffer zones near national parks to heighten vigilance by closely monitoring animal behaviour and movement patterns.
The renewed pressure follows panic triggered by three recent fatal human wildlife conflict incidents in the resort city.
A week ago, in the Mkhosana CBZ area, a 42 year old Victoria Falls resident, Gift Siziba, was trampled to death by an elephant. That tragedy was followed by another fatal elephant attack last weekend.
These incidents came barely days after the heartbreaking death of three year old Grace Chafudzika, who was attacked by a crocodile at the Matetsi River while with her mother and brother, who had been fishing along the dam bank.
The consecutive fatalities have sent shockwaves through Victoria Falls and revived urgent discussions about safe coexistence between communities and wildlife. In response, wildlife experts are calling for a more proactive approach from residents.
Mr Liberty Nyaguse, an elephant expert and manager at Elecrew, said living alongside wildlife demands continuous education and awareness.
“It’s devastating to lose lives in this manner, but we must remember that we are sharing this landscape with these animals. We are calling upon residents in places like Victoria Falls, who reside close to national parks, to be extremely vigilant. It’s critical for them to study wildlife behaviour, particularly of prevalent animals like elephants, buffaloes and hippos,” said Mr Nyaguse.
He said communities must understand seasonal animal movement patterns and avoid known wildlife corridors, especially during peak activity periods.
“Being vigilant is our first line of defence. However, when prevention fails, there must be a safety net,” he said.
Both Mr Nyaguse and affected residents are looking to Government intervention.
“It’s very critical for the Government to expedite the operationalisation of the Human-Wildlife Conflict Fund. This fund is meant to assist victims or the families of those who lose their lives in these tragic encounters, and we need it to be accessible now more than ever,” he said.
Residents shared similar concerns, highlighting the emotional and financial devastation left in the wake of such tragedies. Victoria Falls residents’ leader, Mr Trymore Ndolo, said the community had actively participated in shaping the compensation framework.“As a city, we were happy with the Parks and Wildlife Management Bill during its public hearing phase. Its enactment as an Act brought us great relief, as we hoped it would alleviate the plight of human-wildlife conflict victims,” said Mr Ndolo.
“We are now calling on the Government to expedite the operationalisation of the fund to ensure victims are compensated. Look at the late Gift Siziba, he was a breadwinner who has left behind children and dependents.
“This fund is supposed to cushion families like his from the double tragedy of losing a loved one and facing financial ruin,” he said.
The Human Wildlife Conflict Fund was established following the amendment of the Parks and Wildlife Act in 2025. The amendment was designed to create a structured compensation mechanism for communities living with wildlife, covering losses ranging from crop damage and property destruction to injury and loss of life.
The sense of urgency was shared widely across the community.
A neighbour of the late Gift Siziba, who identified herself as Prophetess Margaret, expressed frustration over the current response systems.
“Zimparks needs to be more actively involved in mitigating these incidents and respond swiftly when they happen. We are living in fear. We can’t continue to bury our people like this,” she pleaded.
“We need the Government to finalise this fund so that at the very least, the families left behind are not also left to suffer alone.”
