The Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has urged communities to stay away from stray buffaloes and desist from provoking wild animals.
This comes after herds of buffaloes were recently spotted in Masvingo and Manicaland provinces.
Tecla Muvori, a local villager in Svinurai and Mawadze in Zaka, Masvingo, said four stray buffaloes were spotted in the area. She said:
Ever since the buffaloes were spotted, we can no longer go out and herd our cattle near the hillocks where the buffaloes often graze.
Buffaloes are deadly, highly temperamental animals that can attack human beings without provocation.
The animals must be removed from our midst as soon as possible.
Zimparks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo urged villagers to avoid interfering with the stray wild animals’ movements. Said Farawo:
If I am not mistaken, this is the same herd that was also spotted in Chiadzwa in Manicaland.
As ZimParks, we are always on high alert and I urge communities not to provoke wild animals and to give them space for free passage.