Absalom Shigwedha
31 August 2007
Windhoek — The ministry of Environment and Tourism has urged people in the Kavango, Caprivi and Erongo regions to beware of elephants when moving around at night.
Colgar Sikopo, the Deputy Director for Parks and Wildlife Management, told The Namibian that drought has forced elephants to be active during the night in search of food. The plea was made after a 47-year-old woman was trampled to death by an elephant at Ngonga village, about 200 km outside Katima Mulilo on August 19.
She was killed while walking home from church with her husband. In the same region, a young man was injured in an encounter with an elephant at Impalila Island, east of Katima Mulilo, on August 20. The man, identified as Obert Silumbu, was cycling to work at Ntwala Island Lodge at around 06h00 when he bumped into an elephant crossing the road.
The elephant tossed Silumbu aside, but he was rescued by a passer-by. He suffered concussion from the fall. A week before these incidents, Sikopo said another person was attacked by an elephant in the Erongo Region. He said the elephant that killed the woman at Ngonga village was identified and killed.
According to Sikopo, Environment Minister Willem Konjore will issue a statement with regard to these incidents by next week.
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