Wild animals wrecking havoc in Mat North

WILD animals are reportedly wrecking havoc onto the fields of Matabeleland Farmers at Gundwane village in Lupane district.

The villagers have appealed to the Parks and Wild Life Management Authority to help them control wild animals 'the Problem Causing Animals (PCAs)'.

Villagers told the Governor of Matabeleland North province, Thokozile Mathuthu in a meeting on Thursday that those wild animals in the area threatening their yields.

Mr Cephas Sibanda, a villager from Lupane said they had a serious problem of wild animals in their area.

"Lions are a threat to our livestock while other animals such as elephants, baboons and warthogs are destroying our crops. Lions continue to devour our animals and as villagers we are worried," he said.

The villagers decried their loss saying they are not even benefiting from Community Area Management Program for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE).

They accused organisations dealing with wild life, of robbing them of their own natural heritage.

"We always have conflicts with wild life players. Each time wild animals are slaughtered, these private players take away everything and leave us with nothing. We need to benefit from these animals because they live in our area," another villager said.

Villagers claim that at times they don't even get meat from of the killed animals

"Recently we had a case where an elephant was slaughtered and these people took the whole carcass and we were left empty handed. As villagers we believe that is not fair."

They appealed to the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to allow them to keep dogs that will help them scare wild animals safe.

The laws governing the operations of parks and wildlife prohibit keeping of dogs in an area with wild animals.

According to Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, any villager who keeps a dog, risks having it killed.