Seven elephants killed, dehorned

Elephants

Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
SEVEN elephants have died due to cyanide poisoning in the Sikumi Forestry area in Dete, Matabeleland North.

All the elephants were dehorned.

Two of the elephants were killed two weeks ago, while five others are alleged to have been killed about a year ago, only for the carcases to be discovered following the latest poisoning.

The poisoning of elephants with cyanide was first reported in 2013 and more than 300 jumbos died in the Hwange National Park, sparking nationwide outrage.

Forestry Commission spokesperson Ms Violet Makoto confirmed the poisoning of the elephants.

“Two weeks ago, two carcasses were discovered leading to the discovery of five older carcasses which had all been dehorned. The killings were done 4KM within the radius of Ivory Lodge and 2KM away from the nearest community.

“We suspect there is one syndicate of poachers which keeps coming back to the same spot because fresh containers with cyanide poison were found two weeks ago there. It is within this same area where hundreds of elephants succumbed to cyanide poisoning,” said Ms Makoto.

She said the older carcasses suggest that the other elephants could have been killed last year.

Ms Makoto said Forestry Commission Forest Protection Unit guards together with a police anti-poaching team will continue to intensify patrols in the Forestry and National Parks area to curb poaching incidents.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Siphiwe Makonese said police had embarked on an operation called Nhaka Yedu/Ilifa Lethu targeting poachers.

“We have set roadblocks with a team comprising Campfire officials who will search vehicles for any weapons and game meat or anything suspected to be connected to poaching activity. Other anti- poaching teams will search trains while others   patrol the National Park and the Forestry areas,” she said.

In June, a total of 10 elephants died due to cyanide poisoning at Hwange National Park. Early this year, a suspected Zambian poacher was shot dead while another one was injured in Sibomvu area in the Pandamasule Forest in Matabeleland North Province. — @winnie-masara

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