Zimpapers Logo

Sheronrose Mugombi

The Government has erected a 197-kilometre fence around Gonarezhou National Park to stop domestic animals from mixing with wild animals.

In a parliamentary session last week, Mberengwa North legislator Tafanana Zhou raised concerns about livestock straying into national parks in search of pastures, posing a potential risk of disease transmission.

In response, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Dr Anxious Masuka outlined the Government’s measures to prevent the spread of diseases, particularly foot and mouth disease, between livestock and wildlife.

The Minister explained that the government has already erected 197 km of fencing along the Gonarezhou National Park to restrict contact between livestock and buffaloes, which are the primary transmitters of foot and mouth disease.

Additionally, the Government is working closely with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife to identify areas where livestock can access water while being separated from wild animals by fencing.

Dr Masuka said the Government is also coordinating with the National Parks department to cut and make available grass from abundant areas as supplementary feed for livestock, reducing their need to stray into the parks.

The Minister emphasised that the Government will act immediately if alerted to any high-risk areas where livestock and wildlife may come into contact, in order to mitigate the spread of diseases