News / Local
Baboons a menace in Vic Falls
03 Jan 2016 at 10:00hrs | Views
Victoria Falls residents are living in fear as a troop of baboons have caused havoc by continuously raiding their homes for food.
The troops of baboons are also said to have been causing problems for pupils during break time, especially at Baobab Primary School where they grab food from pupils in the play grounds.
Bulawayo based Sunday News said authorities at the school have had to enlist the services of a guard to keep the baboons away.
The baboons have reportedly become a menace to the extent that calls are getting loud for authorities to act on the problem before they maim residents.
The publication said baboon raids are more pronounced in the low density areas where they jump into houses through open windows despite the presence of people in the homes.
So grave is the situation that residents are scared to carry groceries in the open.
"It's now dangerous to carry groceries from the shops to our homes. They now lay an ambush for children and women carrying goods from town. We now fear their aggressive behaviour as they could soon injure people if they are not controlled," the paper quoted an unnamed female source.
Victoria Falls residents' association chairman Mr Morgan Gaza Dube blamed the issue on residents and tourists who feed the baboons.
"Victoria Falls is situated between two national parks Chamabondo and Zambezi and as such we live side by side with these wild animals. If you feed these baboons they behave like pets, next time they will come back to you to be fed.
"We have tourists around who when they see them feed them and that's when the problem starts," said Mr Dube.
"Once they do that if they see anyone carrying groceries they expect to be fed and they get that food at any cost.
"The same happens when they raid houses as they would have seen people getting in there with the groceries. In Vic Falls we can't kill them but we have to co-exist with them unless if they become very aggressive. We will always protect our people from aggressive animals," he said.
The troops of baboons are also said to have been causing problems for pupils during break time, especially at Baobab Primary School where they grab food from pupils in the play grounds.
Bulawayo based Sunday News said authorities at the school have had to enlist the services of a guard to keep the baboons away.
The baboons have reportedly become a menace to the extent that calls are getting loud for authorities to act on the problem before they maim residents.
The publication said baboon raids are more pronounced in the low density areas where they jump into houses through open windows despite the presence of people in the homes.
So grave is the situation that residents are scared to carry groceries in the open.
"It's now dangerous to carry groceries from the shops to our homes. They now lay an ambush for children and women carrying goods from town. We now fear their aggressive behaviour as they could soon injure people if they are not controlled," the paper quoted an unnamed female source.
Victoria Falls residents' association chairman Mr Morgan Gaza Dube blamed the issue on residents and tourists who feed the baboons.
"Victoria Falls is situated between two national parks Chamabondo and Zambezi and as such we live side by side with these wild animals. If you feed these baboons they behave like pets, next time they will come back to you to be fed.
"We have tourists around who when they see them feed them and that's when the problem starts," said Mr Dube.
"Once they do that if they see anyone carrying groceries they expect to be fed and they get that food at any cost.
"The same happens when they raid houses as they would have seen people getting in there with the groceries. In Vic Falls we can't kill them but we have to co-exist with them unless if they become very aggressive. We will always protect our people from aggressive animals," he said.
Source - Sunday News
