ELEPHANTS INVASION WORRY LAUNGWA DUELERS
…call on wildlife services for protection
By Francis Chipalo
RESIDENTS in villages around Feira in Luangwa have made a passionate appeal to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks for protection against wild animals, particularly elephants that have gone on rampage invading their homes.
The duelers in this part of Luangwa have since described the issue of elephants invading their yards and communities as a serious threat on their lives.
Making the worrying revelations during a Scottish government – sponsored NIRAS Climate Just Communities (CJC) project inspection, some villagers said they were spending sleepless nights for fear of being trampled upon by the enormous wild animals.
Boston Zulu of Mbilisani village said the situation of elephants invading people’s homes in Feira had gotten out of hand.
Zulu said government should find ways of addressing the animal – human conflict in Laungwa before people begin losing their lives and vice – versa.
And another affected resident Betty Mwanza of Chuili village disclosed that the wild animals invade her household not more than once in a week.
She said her family members rarely spent peaceful nights due to fear of elephants.
“Sometimes when they come we make some form of noise by beating drums to scare them off but that is a dangerous move on our end because they sometimes come charging towards us,” said Mwanza, in an interview.
Mwanza disclosed that the situation gets worse during the farming season, adding that that is when the beasts invade a lot, grazing on people’s crops.
The worried resident called on wildlife services to consider installing solar – powered fences to safeguard both human life as well as crops.
The residents said the animals are usually in search of food.
