Villagers in Ward 16, Dombodema, Bulilima District in Matabeleland South Province, are losing livestock, especially goats, to hyenas and jackals.
Ward 16 councillor Fortune Dube told <a href="https://newsday.co.zw/southerneye/local/article/200028072/hyenas-terrorise-bulilima-villagers">Southern Eye</a> that they suspect the hyenas could be coming from Botswana as the area is close to the Zimbabwe-Botswana border. Said Dube:
<blockquote>
Our goats are being attacked at night by the hyenas. We suspect that the wild animals are coming from Mapouka which is an area on the Botswana side.
They started terrorising us in January by breaking into our kraals. At times they kill three goats per night at one homestead.
This happens in homesteads where there are no dogs. My neighbour has since lost five goats, twice with the latest being last week. Another one also lost three goats recently.
</blockquote>
Dube said the council is set to report the issue to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZIMPARKS).
ZIMPARKS spokesperson Tinashe Farawo said they have not received such a report, adding that communities to report such issues to the local authorities. He said:
<blockquote>
If we receive a report we will react within the shortest possible time so that we help our communities.
</blockquote>
Human-wildlife conflict in Zimbabwe, particularly involving hyenas, poses significant challenges for local communities.
These conflicts arise due to various factors, including threats to human life, interference with community activities, and damage to villagers’ livelihoods.
Wild animals, such as hyenas, often encroach into villages in search of food and water, where they kill both humans and livestock.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Hyenas And Jackals Threaten Livestock In Bulilima

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told President Emmerson Mnangagwa that he has enough “hyenas” to deal with in Europe after the Zimbabwean leader said he was ready to donate the ravenous animals to Moscow.
As reported by <a href="https://www.rt.com/russia/598982-putin-africa-gift/">Russia Today</a>, Putin and Mnangagwa shared a laugh during a tense debate on nuclear diplomacy on Friday, as they discussed how to deal with the real and metaphorical “hyenas” threatening their countries.
According to the report, during a plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russian political scientist Sergey Karaganov urged Putin to update Russia’s nuclear doctrine to allow nuclear retaliation against countries that strike Russia with conventional weapons.
This comes after several Western nations, including the US, France, and Germany, recently gave Ukraine permission to use their missiles to hit targets on Russian territory.
Karaganov argued that Western countries have grown complacent and need to be reminded of Russia’s nuclear capabilities. He told Putin:
<blockquote>
They have gone mad, especially the Europeans. It’s how animals behave. If there is a herd of hyenas or wild dogs and you’ve got a stick, you can keep them at bay.
But there’s a high chance that they will tear your clothes, and if you get tired they will bite you to death. If you can kill a couple of them then they will disperse.
President Mnangagwa knows about the behaviour of hyenas.
</blockquote>
Karaganov then turned to Mnangagwa and asked if he concurred with his assertions. He said:
<blockquote>
Do you agree Mr. President, that this is how you deal with hyenas?
</blockquote>
In response to Karaganov, Mnangagwa said:
<blockquote>
We do have lots of hyenas in Zimbabwe, but we keep them in the national parks. We have no problems with them, but they breed a lot, and if there is anybody who wants them, we are ready to donate.
</blockquote>
Putin responded: “Well we’ve got hyenas of our own in Europe”.
Russian nuclear doctrine since 2010 allows for the use of atomic weapons in the event of a nuclear first strike on its territory or infrastructure, or if the existence of the Russian state is threatened by either nuclear or conventional weapons.
Putin said that Russia “needs no nuclear weapons to achieve victory” in Ukraine but added that changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine “are not ruled out.”
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Mnangagwa Offers Free Hyenas To Russia's Vladimir Putin

Villagers in Ward 37 in Mberengwa District, Midlands Province, have been warned against walking at dawn and dusk because of marauding hyenas that have invaded their community.
A villager, Luckson Pasipanodya, said the hyenas haven’t attacked people yet but they have already killed donkeys, goats, sheep, and calves.
The most affected areas are villages, Nungirai, Chivasa, Pararai and around Gwai Primary School, Makwava Primary, Chapungu Secondary and Mundi-Mataga Dam area under Chief Chingoma. Said Pasipanodya:
<blockquote>
These hyenas are surely causing a headache to us as villagers. Goats, sheep and donkeys are at the mercy of these animals. We have never had them in such a big number.
This time there are many and are sure to leave us poorer and hungry as donkeys form part of our draught power.
They haven’t attacked people but fears are that they may pounce on children and those that may be travelling to catch buses at dawn.
</blockquote>
Villagers said they do not know where the wild animals came from but suspect that they migrated from farms in the Sovelele area in Mwenezi and Makhado into Mberengwa.
MP for Mberengwa South Tasara Hungwe said they engaged the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) for help in dealing with the hyena menace and the teams were in the area. He said:
<blockquote>
The hyenas have been a problem for some time but now the issue has escalated as people are losing livestock almost on a daily basis and people are even scared for their lives at this point.
We have engaged the Zimparks team and we hope they can do something to scare them away because people’s livestock is at risk.
</blockquote>
Nungirai village head Wilbert Pasipanodya said the hyena menace will only get worse as the environment seems to be good for their breeding on a massive scale. | <a href="https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/hyenas-cause-havoc-in-mberengwa/">The Sunday News</a>

Hyenas Cause Havoc In Mberengwa

An unknown woman was trampled to death by an elephant before her remains were devoured by hyenas on Nyakasanga Bridge on Wednesday, police have said.
According to a statement issued by the police, the woman’s remains were found scattered at the 321 km peg along Harare–Chirundu Road.
Police are now appealing for information that may lead to the identification of the woman. Police said:
<blockquote>
The ZRP is appealing for information which may assist in the identification of a female adult who is suspected to have been attacked to death by an lephant before her body was devoured by hyenas on 07/12/22 at Nyakasanga Bridge at the 321 km peg along Harare–Chirundu Road.
The victim’s body parts were found scattered at the scene. Anyone with information to report at any nearest Police station.
</blockquote>
Cases of human-wildlife conflict have been on the rise in recent years and this year alone, as of August 2022, 46 Zimbabwean lives had been lost to human-wildlife conflict.
Last month the government said it will establish a fund that will be used to compensate people who will have been attacked by wild animals.
The Human-Wildlife Conflict Relief Fund for Victims in Zimbabwe will cover death, maiming, and injuries.

Woman Trampled To Death By An Elephant And Devoured By Hyenas

A <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Zaka">Zaka</a> couple and their son were left wounded after they were attacked by a clan of hyenas in Bota communal lands on Monday afternoon.
Robert Maroyi, his wife Muchanyara Maroyi and their son Rwatinga Maroyi, of Mapfumo village, have since been hospitalised at Musiso Hospital where they are receiving treatment after being attacked by three hyenas.
<a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/zaka-family-members-critical-after-being-mauled-by-hyenas/">The Herald</a> reports that the trio was trying to protect its cattle from the hyenas which then turned on them and attacked them.
Other villagers came to the rescue of the Maroyis and managed to scare away the hyenas.
The three were taken to Musiso Hospital where their condition is critical but stable.
Zimparks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo confirmed the incident and revealed they had deployed a team of rangers to hunt down the marauding hyenas. Said Farawo:
<blockquote>
Our team (of game rangers) is on the ground to trek the hyenas. Those who were attacked are hospitalised and are out of danger as of now.
</blockquote>
The attack on the Zaka family by the hyenas is one of the several reported cases of human/wildlife conflict countrywide. The latest case has instilled fear in some considering that the attack occurred during the day.
<h2><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

A Clan Of Hyenas Attacks Zaka Family

An 8-year-old boy from Zaka was on Friday last week dragged by hyenas from a place where he was attending an all-night church.
Roswell Ngomazana of Benzi Village under Chief Nhema in Zaka was severely mauled in the face after he was dragged for 300 metres at Zviratidzo Zvevapositori Church prayers.
He was rescued by members of the congregation who ran after the hyenas forcing them to drop him.
Ngomazana had gone to the all-night vigil with her 62-year-old grandmother Martha Martha Sasikai on the fateful day.
He is now battling for his life at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare.
Sasikai said the boy was attacked soon after he asked for some sheets because he wanted to sleep. She said:
<blockquote>We were at a church service when Roswell asked for some sheets to cover himself since he wanted to sleep.
I gave him and it was only a few minutes later when he was attacked by the hyenas.
He was mauled on his face and we thank God that he is alive. As a family, we are appealing for well-wishers to help us meet medical bills</blockquote>
Zimbabwe National Parks (Zimparks) spokesperson Tinashe Farawo confirmed the incident to Masvingo Mirror.
<h4>More: <a href="https://masvingomirror.com/hyenas-maul-drag-boy-8-at-church/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Masvingo Mirror</a></h4>

Hyenas Drag Boy From Church Prayers

A man from Mhangura was allegedly killed by his cousin for dating a woman significantly older and for stealing some household property.
The now deceased’s remains were found dumped in the bush on Monday with hyenas having devoured part of them.
Closes friends and relatives of the deceased, Cosmos Chitofu, told NewsDay that he was employed by the Tsetse Control Department.
Mashonaland West police spokesperson Inspector Margaret Chitove didn’t answer calls or respond to questions sent on her mobile phone when the publication sought for a comment.
However, a close relative told NewsDay that Cosmas went missing on January 19 and people believed that he was at work. He said:
<blockquote>This is a sad moment for our family as a bid to help out a brother turned out nasty after the young brother killed him
Deceased, who was the elder brother, had a misunderstanding with his younger brother Elton. He told Elton to stop dating an over-aged woman.
She has four children from her previous marriage. Elton was also accused of stealing household goods to please his newfound love.</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2021/01/hyenas-devour-mhangura-murdered-mans-remains/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewsDay</a></h4>

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