Elephant kills a person near Khorixas

A PERSON was killed by an elephant near Khorixas the past weekend while a rogue elephant bull that was terrorising the Ozondati area in Erongo was wounded in an attempt to destroy the ‘problem animal’, and has now become ‘extremely dangerous’.

MET’s Deputy Director of Parks and Wildlife Management, Colgar Sikopo yesterday confirmed that a person was killed near Khorixas, but could not give more information.’We received a report of the incident, but as to the details, I cannot help you until we have investigated the matter,’ he said.He also confirmed that a registered professional hunter of big game was appointed to destroy the elephant bull at Ozondati last week after a report from senior MET officials labeled the elephant as a ‘problem animal’.On Friday, the hunter allegedly hit the bull in its chest, wounding it.’Now the elephant is running away from us and is maybe hiding. But we know he is now also extremely dangerous,’ Traditional Authority Councillor of Ozondati, Fabianus Uaseuapuani, yesterday (Tuesday) told The Namibian.He said the community is ‘very angry’ with the poor way in which the matter is being dealt with because it has taken so long for the ministry to respond to the plight of the community regarding the animal’s behaviour.’We must kill this animal before it comes and kills one of us,’ he said.According to Uaseuapuani, the animal is being tracked, and on Tuesday, the tracks led the hunters and MET officials to a popular water hole, ‘but no elephant’.The wounded Ozondati bull, Sikope said that it was from the same herd as all the others elephants (estimated to be about 50 in all in the area).Over the past three weeks, the elephant moved between the houses in the villages of Otjivero, Okoshoto and Omao near the Ohungu Conservancy, and has already destroyed a water pipe-line at Okoshoto, which left people there without water for three days. Besides this, is has destroyed fences and kraals and threatened homesteads. It has also chased cows and goats and on one occasion, a shepherd had to run for his life when the elephant chased him while he was looking for his animals. People were terrified to leave their homes.Attempts were made to chase the animal away from the communities but it kept returning – probably because of the guaranteed water supply, Sikope alleged.’There’s something wrong with this one. Usually it is a cow with a calf that acts like this, but this bull seems to have been separated from the herd, and started to act funny,’ said Sikopo.Now it’s even more dangerous, having been wounded.A professional hunter had to finish off the animal, but according to Sikope, there were no professional hunters in the Ohungu Conservancy.’The hunter will shoot the animal and will be able to take with him the trophy. The meat will go to the people in the area, and the hunter may even pay a small fee toward the conservancy to assist them to fix water supply points for instance,’ said Sikopo.In the meantime, Sikopo also confirmed that a person was killed near Khorixas over the weekend by an elephant, but could not give more information.’We received a report of the incident, but as to the details, I cannot help you until we have investigated the matter,’ he said.Responding to allegations that bureaucracy was stalling assistance to reduce conflict between the animals and the community, Sikopo said that the area was a ‘priority area’ of MET, which enjoys attention all the time.’We have a programmme for the area, and there are wardens and anti-poaching teams in there most of the time. It is an important area in Erongo, and mechanisms are being implemented to reduce the conflict,’ he said.Sikopo said that the sites for two special boreholes, that will be solely for the use by elephants, away from the communities’ water sources have already been identified.’The new boreholes will be created just for the elephants, so they can be attracted away from the communities there and have there own secure water source. The sites have been identified, and the boreholes should be in place within this year,’ he said.Another measure to reduce the conflict between the people and the animals will involve the establishment of a ‘patrol camp’ in the area where MET officers can stay for longer periods. This camp should be completed by next month, according to Sikopo.’Then we intend to establish a permanent station there and so we would not have to depend on officers from Swakopmund or Omaruru, but have permanent posts there to monitor and patrol the area,’ he said.