HIPPOS KILL 2 VILLAGERS

KETRA KALUNGA writes TWO people have been killed by hippos in Itezhi tezhi within a week and the district commissioner is worried more lives could be lost. Itezhi Tezhi District commissioner, Hendricks Kahimana has bemoaned the increased wild animal attacks on people in the area that has led to loss of lives. Mr. Kahimana said in an interview that the district has recorded two deaths in a week from hippo attacks that come in conflict with humans in the district because of the Kafue National Park. He said that last year alone, 14 people, most of them fishermen and farmers died after being attacked by the animals from the Kafue Nationa Park. The district commissioner said that people in the area are now living in fear of being attacked and having their crops destroyed by the wild animals. “The wild animals have been terrorizing people, last year in a week about 14 people were killed and now it has started,” said Mr. Kahimana. He said the elephants have also been terrorizing fields, a situation that could affect the crop harvest in the district. The DC was, however, quick to mention that the officers from the department of national parks and wildlife have been on the ground to control the elephants. Mr. Kahimana regretted the fact that as the district leadership they never took any measures to control the situation He has appealed to the provincial administration to quickly come on board and crop the animals and save the lives of the people. “We never took any measure to control the animals, now that it has started again we want to engage the provincial administration to quickly come on board and crop animals that are terrorizing the people,” said Mr. Kahimana. And the district commission disclosed that a 3 meters crocodile that has been attacking people has been cropped. The crocodile which has been terrorizing people and livestock attacked and injured four people in the district before it was finally cropped with help from the community. The Sun