25 January 2012
Maputo — At least 22 people were killed by wild animals last year in Manica province, according to a report in the daily newspaper "Noticias".
The majority of people were killed by crocodiles in the Zambezi River.
According to the provincial director of agriculture, Oliveira Amimo, nine people died in the district of Tambara, three were killed in Macossa and another three in Mossurize. The districts of Guro, Manica and Gondola each lost two people, with one person being killed in Machaze.
Four people were killed by snakes, with elephants being responsible for four deaths.
Amimo stated that the situation has worsened since 2010, particularly in Mossurize, Manica, Gondola and Machaze which had previously not been affected.
The provincial director of agriculture also revealed that wild animals had destroyed 113.2 hectares of crops. The majority of this destruction, 108.7 hectares, was caused by elephants, with hippopotami destroying 5.5 hectares. These figures were down by almost a third on 2010 when wild animals destroyed 160.25 hectares.
Wild animals were also responsible for damaging houses, wells and granaries, and for the death of domestic animals including 50 goats, two donkeys, four dogs, two ducks, two pigs and four sheep.
The provincial department of agriculture has been promoting the introduction of cats and pigs to areas such as Nhamassonje, in Guro district, which have been encountering problems with snakes, particularly mambas. Cats and pigs are considered to be the most effective domestic animals for scaring off snakes.
The provincial governor, Ana Comoane, has stressed the need to take urgent action to protect life and property. She said that the local authorities should provide weapons and ammunition for the killing of problem animals, and called for the use of traditional techniques for scaring the animals away.
However, Comoane stressed that elephants are protected animals that must not be killed indiscriminately.
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