The investigation means villagers in large parts of the Nata/Gweta constituency will continue to languish under the livestock movement restrictions imposed recently, after the buffaloes strayed into the area from the neighbouring Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.
Agriculture Minister, Fidelis Molao explained that the prolonged imposed lockdown, which reportedly is affecting 300,000 cattle in the area, was because of the incubation period of FMD.
“There’s an incubation period after the first contact between buffalos and cattle, which is between 14 and 21 days, for the signs of FMD to show,” he told the presidential kgotla meeting held in Masunga on Wednesday.
“The effort to get the buffaloes out has been done and you may be asking why the restrictions have not been lifted. It’s because of the incubation period, after which we will know whether we are safe or not. Our investigations will continue until the end of the month. “Let’s be patient and let’s pray that this FMD is not here,” added Molao.
An outbreak of FMD in the North-East in August last year, forced a long-lasting quarantine, suspension of exports from cattle in the area and the culling of thousands of livestock. Government spent millions of pula in compensating affected farmers as well as restocking their livestock in some cases.
Molao said the affected cattle had been slaughtered while compensation to farmers was largely settled, although some payments were still outstanding. He also said the affected zone, known as 6b, was largely cleared of the disease and international animal health inspectors were due to assess the situation by month-end, paving the way for the resumption of exports from the area.
Meanwhile Nata/Gweta legislator, Polson Majaga told Mmegi that human-wildlife conflict is increasingly troubling the area, as more buffaloes and elephants travel through the Maitengwe and Sepako corridors on their way to and from Zimbabwe.
He said the recent invasion of buffalos, many of them wandering close to residential areas in search of water, has made villagers anxious and disturbed.
“Elephants, buffaloes, and other carnivores are generating additional challenges for residents, particularly farmers who have not yet prepared for this year's ploughing season,” he said.
“The majority of the residents in my constituency are impoverished members of rural villages who live primarily off agriculture,” he added.
Majaga added that there have been frightening instances of livestock predation as a result of the inflow of wild animals.
“Some of the dangerous species, like leopards, prey on the villagers' livestock as they move around in search of food and water. “There have been documented leopard incidents in the Tsokotshaa area that have resulted in injuries. “Just three weeks ago, some livestock was attacked by leopards and a few hyenas.”
The more intense movement of wild animals such as buffaloes and elephants, as well as predators, coincides with the post-winter drying out of food and water sources in the wildlife rich region.
Experts believe that climate change has intensified dry periods in the area, leading to larger movements of wildlife in recent years.
Majaga said besides the wildlife menace, the stronger dry period were also resulting in more incidents of wildfires. In recent months, veldt fires have broken out in some part of Ngwasha area, causing more wild animals, particularly elephants, to move closer to human settlements.
He estimated that seven veld fires have been reported within the Nata/Gweta constituency affecting at least 1,515 hectares of land.
“Government should consider recruiting environmental monitors, like South Africa’s Green Scorpions, as a preventative measure for wildfires,” he told Mmegi.
“Soldiers must also be deployed to patrol and watch the area when there is an inflow of dangerous animals so that people can be protected. “However, we will have to put up with the disputes between people and animals until the rains come.”
Meanwhile, local veterinarian, Mbatshi Mazwinduma, says larger numbers of wildlife, particularly elephants, have been migrating from Botswana into Zimbabwe, due to the country’s better ecosystem and wildlife management.
“When there is a drought, more wild animals will migrate to areas where they will receive better treatment,” he told Mmegi. “In addition, due to Botswana's effective anti-poaching measures, more elephants and buffalos will move there in search of safety as opposed to Hwange, where poaching is more common,” Mazwinduma.
He urged local authorities to collaborate with Zimbabwean authorities in the management of wildlife.
“We should consider the fact that our actions as humans have an impact on these animals. “One of the solutions in the past was humans giving food and water to wild animals in order to ensure their welfare. “There is need for a common sense strategy since times have changed and animal movements will not cease during a drought,” he said.
