NKHOTAKOTA-(MaraviPost)- Two elephants on Monday were reported to have strayed out of Nkhotakota Wildlife Reser ve, Maravi Post has learnt.
The incident comes barely weeks after a woman was killed by another stray elephant, which trampled the woman as she was collecting firewood in the Reserve’s buffer zone.
According to local people in the community, the elephants moved from protected areas due to farming activities that have depleted their food.
Stanley Mataka from Chitenje area, which is located about three kilometres from the Wildlife Reserve, said people abandoned their farming activities on Monday morning following warnings of the advancing elephants.
Sources also told the Maravi Post that education authorities at Chitenje and Kaombe primary schools said lessons were disrupted as learners rushed closer to the reserve to see the elephants.
Nkhotakota Wildlife ReservePark Manager Samuel Kamoto, confirmed that the stray elephants are suspected to have moved out of the enclosure due to lack of food, but did not any caused harm to the communities.
Kamoto assured the public that a team of rangers were deployed to track the animals.
He however, advised communities to remain calm because the rangers are ensuring the safety of people living outside the Park.
“Yes I can confirm that two elephants have escaped from Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve. We have so far, sent a team of rangers to track them down,” Kamoto said.
the park.
African Parks manages Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve, Liwonde National Park in Machinga, and Majete Wildlife Reserve in Chikwawa under concession through public-private partnerships.