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The Chipangayi and Mutema communities are living in perpetual fear of lions, buffalo and elephant as the nocturnal animals wreak havoc in the area threatening food security and the lives of people in Middle Sabi and surrounding areas.
A prominent farmer and war veteran, Cde Masversion Maoneke confirmed that lions killed two cattle on his farm and his workers chased them away using a Bakkie’s lights. He claimed that the king of the jungle was pursuing buffalos that escaped the Save Conservancy in search of beans.
Lions prey on the young buffalos which cannot withstand the attacks of the predators.
For the past years, winter wheat and beans crops have suffered from elephant and buffalo attacks. That caused untold suffering to farmers who had to go to the banks and plead for leniency as far as repaying loans was concerned in the wake of destruction of hectares upon hectares of the crop.
A wildlife expert who spoke on condition of anonymity said buffalos and elephants had long memories.
Against such mental instinct, having feasted on beans in the Middle Sabi area some years ago makes them come again when beans harvesting is imminent.
However, this time around, the three members of the big five have literally imposed a war-time curfew as people can now barely travel at dusk for fear of marauding lions and being attacked by the elephants and buffalos.
At Saguta’s farm, two cattle were killed by the marauding lions which went as far as Gata’s farm in their search for meat.
For years, this menace has troubled the people of this area without any discernible compensation for those who lose their livestock and crops.
Online Reporter