In South Africa, a herd of elephants escaped from the Ithala reserve in the northern province of KwaZulu. The herd’s outbreak was possible because residents of surrounding towns demolished parts of the border fence around the reserve to sell the material as scrap, local media reported.
The animals had already escaped on Wednesday and are now far from the nature reserve. The refugees now have to be tracked down and driven back by helicopter.
NEWS: Ezemvelo has confirmed that a “bunch” of elephants have escaped from the Ithala Game Reserve, Vryheid. Some elephants have already been spotted near Pongola. Ezemvelo blamed the community for cutting the fence around the reserve and preventing staff from repairing it. pic.twitter.com/zA9OnaHlE4
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) December 21, 2023
Rangers from the local wildlife authority urged residents to also keep an eye out for the elephants and report neighbors who had removed the border fence. Not only do they incur repair costs, but they also endanger themselves and others as the risk of wildlife attacks increases. Elephants are generally not aggressive unless they feel threatened. However, a visit by the gray giants to a farmer’s corn field or garden can quickly lead to the loss of the entire crop. (saw/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
