Human-Wildlife Conflict

Information and Discussions on General Conservation Issues
User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75834
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: Human-Carnivore Conflicts

Post by Richprins »

^Q^


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67237
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: Human-Carnivore Conflicts

Post by Lisbeth »

It is such an easy solution. Through times herders have always had dogs, at least in Europe -O-

Just imagine, here we are having a bit of a problem since the wolf has returned. Only in high mountain, but with a lot of people shouting lol the pros and the against the wolf O**


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
Klipspringer
Global Moderator
Posts: 5862
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 12:34 pm
Country: Germany
Contact:

Human-Wildlife Conflict

Post by Klipspringer »

https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/kw ... n-37451459


Image

Image

Hippos take a stroll through St Lucia town
KWAZULU-NATAL / 20 NOVEMBER 2019, 08:00AM / BUKEKA SILEKWA


Durban - HIPPOS are not an unusual sight in St Lucia, but residents are now complaining that the animals are wandering around the town in daylight hours, scaring people.
The mammals are often seen on the roads in the town, which neighbours the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, and sometimes inside people’s properties.


Businessperson Phiwe Zungu said residents were used to hippos being close by. While they previously walked around at night, now they were moving around during the day and affecting their business. “The hippos have always been part of the community, but lately they have shown aggressive behaviour and they are scaring us.”

Zungu, who sells crafts, fruit and vegetables, said that in the past they kept their stock outside so that customers could see what they had. However, she had stopped sitting outside and selling her goods after a hippo charged her when her phone rang and she stood up to answer it. She said the hippo possibly felt challenged and started running towards her.

“The day I was almost attacked by the hippo I realised that they are really dangerous and it was not so long after that one of the hippos attacked and killed a man from the nearby community. It is not comfortable here any more. We have sat down with the Wetlands authorities and they said they will do something about these animals, but nothing has been done.”

iSimangaliso spokesperson Debbie Cooper said people should remember that St Lucia is entirely surrounded by the Wetland Park World Heritage Site and wildlife was therefore common in town. “This is one of the reasons for its immense popularity as an international tourist destination. Hippos have always frequented the public areas of the town and there is nothing new or unusual in their behaviour. Although they are generally nocturnal, occasionally they choose to visit us during the day as well.”

Cooper said to stay well clear of hippos and other wild animals, and to contact the iSimangaliso emergency line at 082 797 7944, or Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife acting park manager (iSimangaliso) Clement Ngcobo (072 884 0842/082 953 5530).

Daily News
Last edited by Klipspringer on Mon Mar 02, 2020 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.


User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67237
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: Human Wildlife Conflict

Post by Lisbeth »

Villagers face daily terror of killer crocs

By Lucas Ledwaba for Mukurukuru Media• 20 November 2019

A trip to photocopy documents or access basic government services could lead to death or the loss of a limb for villagers in Limpopo.

Image
A man crosses the Olifants River from Mogalatjane Elandskraal in Limpopo. Several people have been attacked by crocodiles while crossing the river. Photo: Lucas Ledwaba/Mukurukuru Media

Talane Leshaba thought he was going to die when he found himself trapped in the jaws of a crocodile. He was swimming across the Olifants River, heading home to Mogalatjane village from Elandskraal, when the reptile pounced.

Leshaba lives in Mogalatjane, one of several Limpopo villages on the banks of the Olifants, the river known to locals as Lepelle.

Image

Image

Villagers on the eastern side of the river, north of the farming and granite-mining town of Marble Hall, access basic services such as social services, health, ATMs, police station and other amenities in Elandskraal, located on the opposite bank.

There are no pedestrian bridges over this part of the Olifants. A return taxi trip to Elandskraal via the R579 costs up to R50. With public transport being erratic, a single trip can take hours. And with high unemployment and resultant poverty levels, very few can afford the fare.

That leaves the river. But, as Leshaba found, crossing it can mean a potentially fatal encounter with a crocodile.

With the arrival of the rainy season there are fears that rising water levels might see more attacks.

Image
One of the spots where people cross the Olifants River when travelling between Elandskraal and Mogalatjane in Limpopo. Several people have been attacked by crocodiles while crossing the river. Photo: Lucas Ledwaba/Mukurukuru Media

“They [the crocodiles] have laid eggs. Goats are disappearing and we are worried,” says Jacob Mammekwa, ward committee member in the Ephraim Mogale local municipality, who has been part of efforts to catch and remove crocodiles.

Leshaba stands on the bank of the river recounting his horrifying encounter: “I just felt something grabbing my arm.”

He knew he was in the jaws of a croc when, with his other hand, he felt its hard, slippery skin. After a struggle, he managed to force the reptile’s jaws slightly ajar. The creature let go and slipped beneath the flowing waters.

Two acquaintances travelling with Leshaba carried him out of the river. His pants, which he’d put over his head to keep them dry as he swam across the river, had been swept away, along with his cell phone and documents.

But Leshaba, who was treated for his injuries in Matlala hospital, is grateful to have escaped with his life.

Image
Kolokotela is one of the villages that lie along the Olifants river. Some residents believe the name is adapted from the term crocodile because the reptiles have been terrorising people crossing the Olifants River. Photo: Lucas Ledwaba/Mukurukuru Media

Last month, 39-year-old Mavis Mohlala was not as fortunate. She was attacked and killed by a crocodile while crossing the river from Kolokotela (a name believed to derive from the word “crocodile”) while on her way to church.

Mammekwa says more than 10 people have been either killed or mauled by crocodiles in the stretch between the Flag Boshielo dam and villages to the north.

“We are calling on the government to at least build a bridge because, if they do, people will cross without injuries,” he says. “Those who come to the river to fish, it is their own problem, because we told them not to play by the river. But those who cross are innocent people, they need the government, they need our help to have a bridge.”

The river offers unemployed people a chance to make a living from fishing. But the men who sell their catch in the villages have also been terrorised by crocs.

Fisherman Wilfred Mudzamatira, who lives in Elandskraal, bears deep scars on his thigh. He was standing hip-deep in the stream, casting his line, when he felt sharp teeth sink into his flesh. He was dragged out into deeper water.

“My friends ran away,” he says, recalling the incident with a smile.

“We fought for about eight minutes. I punched it and punched it. Then it made a mistake to open its mouth slightly. That’s how I escaped,” he recalls.

Image
Wilfred Mudzamatira looks at the spot where he fought a crocodile while submerged underwater for about 10 minutes while fishing in the Olifants River. The reptile eventually let go of him but he carries deep scars from that encounter. Photo: Lucas Ledwaba/Mukurukuru Media

He seldom fishes now, but doesn’t fear crocodiles.

“A crocodile is a very stupid animal,” he says, shaking his head. “It just wants to bite and pull you. It can’t do anything else.”

In 2017, during a spate of croc attacks, Mammekwa rallied the Department of Environmental Affairs to help trap the reptiles. The project proved successful, but then encountered a problem.

“We caught the first crocodile, the second and the third one. But then … other people were coming at night to steal the crocodiles from the traps and sell them to traditional healers,” explains Mammekwa, who is also a farmer.

Word got around the region that the carcass of an entire crocodile could fetch over R10,000, allegedly from healers. The thieves became so brazen they were wading into the river to remove the traps and animals before fleeing.

Wild animal parts, including those of crocodiles, are used for medicinal purposes by certain traditional healers. It is also believed that the reptile’s brain and bile can make lethal poison.

“We heard they were selling the fat from the crocodiles. They were also selling that head for R1,000, the skin and also the meat. We heard the total amount of a crocodile is up to R15,000,” says Mammekwa.

The project was abandoned prematurely as a result of this activity, though no one was arrested for theft or illegal sale of reptiles.

“We decided to stop the project to avoid further problems,” he says.

In 2015, in a Mozambican village, 62 people were killed after consuming beer believed to have been laced with crocodile bile. But a leading Zimbabwean pharmacologist who did a study on crocodile bile dismissed the crocodile bile poison as “a rural myth”.

The human-wildlife conflict is not only restricted to the Elandskraal area and crocodiles. It is a global phenomenon involving, notably, crop-damaging elephants and livestock-killing predators.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation – in a report titled Human-Wildlife Conflict in Africa – causes, consequences and management strategies – says the crocodile appears to have superseded the hippopotamus as the animal responsible for most deaths on the African continent.

The 2009 report says crocodile attacks are common because numbers of large crocodiles are high throughout the continent and their distribution range is wide. Also, crocodiles can live in close proximity to people without being detected – unlike lion and elephant – and their numbers recover quicker than those of other killers.

Myths, legends and rumours abound in Limpopo – including one about a large crocodile whose body is covered in a binding of chains. Fishermen have named this beast – which they claim to have spotted on the river bank – after WWF wrestler John Cena.

Another story is that the large crocodile population is the fault of a disgruntled white man who, when his tourist lodge wasn’t doing too well, dumped a large number of reptiles into the river under cover of darkness.

Zaid Kalla, spokesperson for the Limpopo department of environment and tourism, says the provincial government regrets the loss of life in the area. But he argues that a growing number of crocodiles is a sign of good environmental management and that communities should respect wildlife habitats.

“Our community members are not constrained to cross rivers and swamps as there are routes connecting villages. Members of the communities are often found neglecting utilisation of availed routes in preference to shorter and life-threatening options,” says Kalla.

“Community members also unintentionally endanger their lives by swimming, crossing and even fishing in very hostile habitats in close proximity to wildlife,” he says.

Kalla says the department will continue to educate and warn communities about wild animals. MC

Lucas Ledwaba is the Editor of Mukurukuru Media.


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67237
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: Human Wildlife Conflict

Post by Lisbeth »

What's changed, what's the problem?

To build a bridge cannot be such a big problem ....or take the long road :O^


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67237
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: Human Wildlife Conflict

Post by Lisbeth »

Using ‘chilli balls’ to reduce human-elephant conflict in Zambia

Posted on November 21, 2019 by Flatdogs Camp in the SPONSORED CONTENT post series

Image
Image source © Flatdogs Camp

PONSORED CONTENT by Flatdogs Camp
Communities surrounding the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia often face huge losses due to elephant conflicts.
The booming development of the Luangwa Valley has resulted in more farms and infrastructure being built, which has caused an increased level of human-wildlife conflict in the community. During the crop-growing season, elephants cross the Luangwa River and enter the surrounding villages, where they raid crop fields and damage property in their forage for food. This can result in devastating outcomes for local farmers who lose their livelihood, and the elephants who are met with negative retaliations.

To help mitigate this conflict, 20 volunteers from Conservation South Luangwa (CSL) have been using ‘chilli balls’ (ping pong balls filled with chilli oil) to deter elephants from crop fields. With the support of Flatdogs Camp, volunteers in Kakumbi Chiefdom have been equipped with boots, rain jackets, overalls and torches to enable them to patrol high-risk zones that are likely to be raided by elephants. The volunteers patrol during the night as this is when the elephants are most active in the village.

Image
Man demonstrating the chilli 'gun' - Image source © Flatdogs Camp

Once an elephant begins to approach a crop field, the CSL volunteer ‘chilli patrollers’ fire a small chilli ball at the hindquarters of the elephant to deter it. The balls leave chilli oil on their skin, causing them no harm other than a mild discomfort due to the smell of chilli, which acts as enough of a deterrent.

The chilli blasters are simple devices, designed to deter but not hurt an elephant. To fire a chilli ball, the wide end chamber of the chilli blaster is unscrewed and a ping pong ball filled with chilli oil is placed inside it. Flammable insect spray is sprayed into the chamber, and then it is quickly closed. There is an igniter mounted at the back of the device which when clicked provides a spark that ignites the gas, firing the ping pong ball out of the narrow tube with a loud bang. For each round the device needs to be unscrewed and re-loaded. So the chilli patroller is careful to fire with control and make every shot count.

The ball explodes when it hits the hindquarters of the elephant, the gas quickly evaporates, leaving some chilli oil on the skin. When the elephant uses its trunk to investigate the spot, it finds the unpleasant chilli mixture. It usually takes a few attempts for the combination of the loud bang and the chilli oil to take effect, and for the elephant to decide to move on and feed elsewhere. The oil is then easily washed away when the elephant next mud bathes or sprays itself with water.

If communities are not supported in wildlife conflict zones, then they often resort to throwing rocks, fireworks, or will even use illegal firearms. All of these cause much more harm to elephants than the chilli patrollers with their blasters.

Image
Two men demonstrating the chilli blaster to ward off elephantsImage source © Flatdogs Camp

The chilli-patrolling efforts are utilised with chilli brick burning, elephant restraining fences, as well as the use of safe-grain stores which elephants cannot break into. These initiatives, combined with support from the local community, have been key to the success of the project. During this year’s farming season, over 3,000 incidences of human-elephant conflict were averted – 1,363 of these being in the Kakumbi Chiefdom.

Due to the success of the project, CSL are planning on increasing the number of patrollers to 30 for next year’s crop-growing season to continue working side by side with the community to minimise this conflict.

Image
Three men inspecting the chilli blaster - Image source © Flatdogs Camp

Emma Robinson, HWC Program Manager says: “The nine Flatdogs-sponsored chilli patrollers achieved 1,333 man-nights, firing 839 chilli ping pong balls to deter over 1,363 elephants in four months. This real practical help makes such a difference to the farmers, who are supportive of the project. In return, they help the patrollers by clearing pathways to their fields, so they can move around easily and safely after dark. They also increase the patrollers effectiveness by raising an early warning when they see approaching elephants. Not surprisingly, it’s much easier to move an elephant on, before its found a plentiful supply of deliciousness.”

“Before the patrollers started, farmers could lose their entire harvest, whereas working with the chilli patrollers they will always harvest at least two bags of maize. We hope that by increasing the number of patrollers next year and adding a fourth chiefdom, we will be able to see the benefits of reduced human-elephant conflict, reaching even more farmers.”

To find out more about this project which is supported by Flatdogs Camp, WWF Zambia and The High Five Club, please visit www.cslzambia.org.

Image
Chilli blaster patrollers near South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
Image source © Flatdogs Camp


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75834
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: Human Wildlife Conflict

Post by Richprins »

\O \O


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
Klipspringer
Global Moderator
Posts: 5862
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 12:34 pm
Country: Germany
Contact:

Re: Human Wildlife Conflict

Post by Klipspringer »

https://africageographic.com/blog/riff- ... struction/


Riff Raff the “problem” elephant receives extended protection against destruction
Posted on December 3, 2019 by Humane Society International in the NEWS DESK post series.

NEWS DESK POST by Humane Society International/Africa (HSI/Africa)
Wildlife campaigners at Humane Society International/Africa are celebrating a South African High Court ruling that grants extended protection for Riff Raff, an elephant dubbed a “problem” animal for trampling fences erected through his range in Limpopo. As elephants and people increasingly compete for land across South Africa, land owners often resort to lethal solutions to eliminate the problem. That is unjustified, says HSI/Africa, particularly when a reserve more that 400 km away is offering Riff Raff a new home.

HSI/Africa and its partner Global Supplies have been working for more than two years to save the 40+ year old, dominant male elephant from destruction after a landowner applied to have him shot. Riff Raff was declared a damage-causing animal by the provincial environmental government for trampling fences to gain access to land that has been his core bull zone for more than half his adult life. The fences were erected by a landowner on Riff Raff’s reserve in 2016, directly excluding him from this long-established area of land to which, as one of the oldest and most dominant bulls on the property, he was genetically hard-wired to return.

To save Riff Raff, HSI/Africa and Global Supplies relocated him to another reserve last year, but it was too close to his historical range and he walked the 64 km journey back home. When a new destruction permit was applied for, and the campaigners’ request to relocate Riff Raff to a new reserve 400 km away was rejected by the Limpopo government, they asked the High Court to intervene and review the decision. Judge President Makgoba has now granted Riff Raff extended protection at his current reserve, pending a full review next year. The new location, being much further away, in a new terrain and with new females, where Riff Raff would be the most dominant bull, mimics bull’s natural dispersal to areas outside of their natal range, and therefore has greater chances of success.

Across Africa, elephants are under threat from poaching, trophy hunting, habitat encroachment and climate change, and should be protected wherever possible. HSI/Africa believes that Riff Raff’s ranging behaviour is nothing more than normal bull elephant instinct. As current legal definitions of so-called damage causing animals fail to take this natural behaviour into account, it has become easy for landowners to exploit this behaviour to have elephants on their land destroyed.

Audrey Delsink, HSI/Africa’s wildlife director and an elephant behaviourist who has studied Riff Raff for more than 20 years, said: “We are deeply relieved at the High Court’s decision to grant Riff Raff an extended stay of execution and the chance of a new life. He has come to symbolise an ever-increasing human-elephant conflict in South Africa that all too often ends with elephants paying the price. People and elephants increasingly compete for the same space, with lethal solutions sadly seen as the easiest and quickest option. Lethal management interventions, particularly in the case of human-elephant conflict, should be the absolute last resort, and never employed where any other humane alternative exists. We share this land with these magnificent giants, it should be utterly unthinkable to kill them simply because to do so is easier than managing the land in a way that considers their normal biological drivers.”

HSI/Africa is extremely thankful to its attorneys, Lawton’s Africa, and to Advocate Mpho Sethaba and Lebogang Phaladi for their pro-bono services on Riff Raff’s case. The elephant’s final fate will be determined next year, when the 2018 decision not to allow his relocation will be reviewed by the court.


User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67237
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: Human Wildlife Conflict

Post by Lisbeth »

I hope that he will not walk the 400 km O**


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
Flutterby
Posts: 44150
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:28 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Gauteng, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Human Wildlife Conflict

Post by Flutterby »

I like his name! lol


Post Reply

Return to “Other Conservation Issues”