Wildlife authorities and community work together to prevent wildlife escapes in KZN

Northern KwaZulu-Natal communities and provincial wildlife authority Ezemvelo have identified the improvement of perimeter fencing in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) and increased conservation education as key to combating human-wildlife encounters.

This emerged during an engagement session last week between park management, traditional leaders and other community representatives to address recent encounters involving escaped wildlife.

The meeting — attended by Inkosi Mlaba of Mlaba/kwaXimba area, Inkosi Zulu of Mandlakazi, Nongoma, and Inkosi Hlabisa of Matshamnyama in Hlabisa, as well as representatives who oversee the selection and interview processes for HiP employment opportunities — addressed three incidents this year involving a buffalo, elephants and lions.

HiP manager Amos Tembe confirmed three lions that escaped from an unidentified enclosure and were spotted by the Gluckstadt community, Vryheid, have been destroyed. The lions were spotted on January 17 and were reported to have killed livestock in the area.

An investigation to determine their origin was under way as they were not branded.

He then addressed the incident involving a buffalo which escaped in the Qunwane area in Hlabisa around February 6, which resulted in one person being killed and two others injured.

It’s believed the buffalo escaped from one of the game reserves within a 5km radius of that area rather than the HiP which is about 40km away.

It is alleged the community attempted to hunt the buffalo which provoked it and caused it to attack a passer-by.

“We had to intervene and support the family, though we know the buffalo did not originate from our reserve. Ezemvelo has more than 6,000 buffaloes in the HiP and there has never been a reported attack. We appeal to communities to refrain from provoking escaped wildlife as doing so endangers lives.”

He said 49 elephants from a herd of about 50 which escaped from the HiP were returned to the park on February 18 while one was shot and killed by authorities.

The herd is said to have escaped through a gap in the fence cut by illegal hunters in the park, which raised concern among community members about future attacks.

“We grew up knowing those who bring disrepute to their communities are expelled. I appeal to Amakhosi to reinstate such disciplinary measures to deter those who cut fences and put lives at risk,” said a community representative.

Stakeholders proposed solutions to mitigate similar incidents in future, including:
clearing vegetation along the fence perimeter to enhance visibility and prevent fence cutting;
increasing community conservation education programmes and visits to schools to educate children about wildlife safety;
erecting a cable fence to prevent elephant escapes; and
painting the fence to improve visibility and discourage fence theft in the HiP.
Tembe welcomed the recommendations and assured stakeholders Ezemvelo would implement feasible solutions and consult relevant authorities on matters requiring high-level decision-making.