Warning against poaching in parks

RUNDU – A Ministry of Environment and Tourism official here has warned against poaching of wildlife in the country’s game parks.

Chief Warden in the Directorate of Wildlife, Colgar Sikopo, was responding to reports that wild animals were being killed by villagers. Sikopo said people should report such wild animals to his directorate rather than take the law into their own hands.He also said it was an offence for civilians to possess automatic rifles.”Do not shoot these animals because, in so doing, you might endanger the lives of other people, especially when such animals are wounded,” said Sikopo.He was reacting to an incident in which poachers at Dumushi village in the Ndiyona Constituency in the Kavango wounded a buffalo.Sikopo said the wounded animal took revenge on innocent Timoteus Hamutenya who was working on his crop field in the same area.He said a team from the Ministry was at Dumushi village to hunt for the wounded buffalo.- NampaSikopo said people should report such wild animals to his directorate rather than take the law into their own hands. He also said it was an offence for civilians to possess automatic rifles. “Do not shoot these animals because, in so doing, you might endanger the lives of other people, especially when such animals are wounded,” said Sikopo. He was reacting to an incident in which poachers at Dumushi village in the Ndiyona Constituency in the Kavango wounded a buffalo. Sikopo said the wounded animal took revenge on innocent Timoteus Hamutenya who was working on his crop field in the same area. He said a team from the Ministry was at Dumushi village to hunt for the wounded buffalo. – Nampa