Zambia Human - Elephant Conflict
The conflict between elephants and humans has taken a toll in Zambia; Matt McGrath from BBC reveals the experience of people and conflicts between humans and wildlife. Humphrey Mubita a farmer who resides near Kafue National Park has lost his daughter to a wild elephant.
Kafue is known as the biggest and oldest protected park over 22,000 sq km. The park consists of areas where wild animals move freely and also in which local people live and farm. According to BBC Humphrey's daughter was 29 years old and left three children behind.
In the past three years elephants have killed two other people, with wild animals wandering in and around the park there has been massive destruction of crops leaving a huge loss to the villagers. The victim's father states that the government lacks compensation and they protect animals over people.
The Zambezi River is a source of water for wild animals near the village of Mugarameno. Kevin Kapesa a local farmer sleeps on a five-meter platform near the river to drive off elephants. He complains that they intrude at least three times a week giving him no time to focus on his farming. Despite maintaining a set of instruments to scare them away the effect is always limited. As per escience news Kevin's states that if they are provided with money for electric fencing around the fields, then they could live in harmony avoiding conflict.
With all the difficulties in maintaining a farm, the conflict seems to make things worse for them, the locals are angry with the fact that the government favors animals more that humans. These conflicts have been occurring with endangered species like elephants and lions, they have always been a part of life in Zambia. With a rapid growing population, the government has many other priorities and the human - wildlife conflict is sure to take a while to resolve.
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