Online Reporter
Mkhululi Ncube, Zimpapers Writer
WILD dogs and jackals are reportedly terrorising villagers in Ward 2 in Bulilima District where they kill domestic animals like goats and chickens for food and would encroach into homesteads even during the day.
Despite making reports to authorities, locals say the response has been slow as the damage caused by the wild dogs is continuing. Mr Shadrek Mbulawa Moyo from Bhaladza Village called for urgent action saying villagers are under siege.
“I lost one of my goats recently, a wether that was so big that I could have sold it for ZAR2 500. They also attack our chickens during the day,” he said.
“We wish something is done urgently because we have lost so much. The jackals are uncontrollable due to their numbers in the bush.”
Mr Moyo said the wild dogs were also making sleeping at night a nightmare due to the noise they make.
Another villager Mr Kumbilani Ndlovu said he is now planning to create a paddock to protect the few remaining goats.
“There is no homestead that has not lost goats and chickens to the jackals. We are powerless because their numbers are just too much,” he said.
“Most of my goats were killed during the day in the bush. Sometimes you see goats coming running from the grazing area being pursued by the jackals.
“I am planning to buy a fence so that I keep the goats inside but that will mean I have to buy feed for them, which is an expense,” he said.
Mr Ndlovu said goats are crucial for rural communities as they are a form of investment. He said many people sell them to raise money to educate children and also provide meat for diet.
“One of my goats was attacked during the day and a neighbour who was going to fetch water saw the jackals attacking. When I got to the spot, it was already dead,” said Mr Moyo.
Another villager, Miss Talent Dube, said it was now rare for any homestead to have all their goats coming back home.
She urged swift action from Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) saying more effort is put on the big wild animals leaving the seemingly harmless wild dogs to terrorise communities without restraint.
Mr Campion Dube from Diba Village said social media groups were now flooded with people looking for missing goats.
He said most of the time they always find remains of those killed.
“We initially suspected that there were people who were stealing our goats and chickens. But we then saw the jackals attacking goats during the day and moving around freely.
“We always hear authorities talking about elephants and lions but what about jackals?” Mr Dube asked.
Bulilima Rural District Council Natural Resources Officer, Mr Lizwe Tshuma, said council was aware of the challenge and is working with its safari operator to deal with the problem.
Mr Tshuma said jackals invade a territory within a short period due to the number of puppies they have when giving birth.
“I am aware of the problem, and we have engaged our hunter to attend to the area. They have equipment, which they use to attract the jackals at night and then shoot them,” he said.
“They will camp there for about three days with students who are training to be professional hunters, it will provide a good learning curve for them.
“Once jackals have puppies, they increase the attacks because they have to feed them. So, when their numbers increase it means you will have too many females with puppies, which worsens the problem for villagers.”
Comment could not be readily obtained from Zimparks.
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