Londile Moyo
Bongani Ndlovu, [email protected]
SCORES of villagers on Tuesday scrambled for meat after two hippos were shot just outside Zanu-PF Politburo member Dr Obert Mpofu’s rural homestead in Epping Forest, Matabeleland North, on Monday.
The massive animals were first spotted on Monday morning at Dr Mpofu’s Village 4 homestead after footprints were seen near a pond just metres from the main house.
Officials from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) and conservation officers from Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage and Research Centre attended the scene and initially explored the possibility of safely extracting and relocating the animals.
However, because of safety concerns, the animals were shot.
When the two beasts were pulled out of the pond, hundreds of villagers began the painstaking process of skinning them for the meat.
It was a rare opportunity for villagers to get relish that could possibly last them for weeks.
Pictures of villagers skinning the two carcasses are too graphic for this publication to show.
Online Reporter