BY PATRICIA SIBANDA

HWANGE villagers are losing livestock to lions that are roaming the Jambezi area, with fears of possible attacks on humans rising.

Chief Mvutu confirmed that lions were terrorising the area and called on authorities to intervene.

“The place where this is happening is called Ndlovu area and the animals are feasting on . . . livestock. It is so sad because there is nothing we can do about the wild animals and besides we have nothing we can use to stop them from coming near our homesteads,” Sibanda said.

Sibanda said villagers were not allowed to kill the carnivores so their numbers keep growing.

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“There are laws that restrict us from killing or striking any wild animal. If only it was long back we would not be having such incidents occurring,” he said.

He advised villagers to report such matters to the responsible authorities.

Chief Jonah Neluswi Shana said elephants were a problem in his area.

He said Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) officials who recently came to assess the area put down a stray elephant.

“The elephants are raiding our fields and eating everything, our bulrush millet which was ripening was destroyed,” he said.

ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo said the problem was with the people who direct their livestock into restricted areas.

“The people are driving their livestock straight into forestry areas. People should try by all means not to allow their domestic animals into restricted areas. Lions and elephants live in the bush hence one will definitely find them there if they visit such places,” Farawo said, while urging villagers to report all wild animal sightings.