DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 9, (Xinhua/GNA) — At least 500 marauding elephants were driven back to game reserves and national parks by the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), between January 2023 and July 2024, an official said Sunday.
Isaac Chamba, TAWA conservation officer, said the elephants were driven back to their habitats using helicopters, after they had invaded and destroyed farm crops and, in some cases, killed people in residential areas they raided.
Chamba told journalists in Bagamoyo district in the Coast region that the elephants that strayed from national parks and game reserves, raided farm crops and residential areas in various districts, including Nachingwea and Liwale in Lindi region, Bunda district in Mara region, Same district in Kilimanjaro region, Mvomero district in Morogoro region and Mbarali district in Mbeya region.
In May this year, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism announced measures to control human-wildlife conflicts, mainly elephant attacks.
According to the ministry, the measures included hiring 1,187 new game rangers over the next two years, to strengthen wildlife conservation and control wild animals from raiding residential areas.
The ministry will deploy the game rangers to the TAWA, Tanzania National Parks, and Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority.
GNA