Ten elephants escape from Ithala Game Reserve

A herd of about ten elephants have ESCAPED from the Ithala Game Reserve after a large part of fence was stolen.

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TEN ELEPHANTS ESCAPED FROM THE ITHALA GAME RESERVE  

According to Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife communications manager Musa Mntambo the elephants managed to escape on Wednesday. Only one of the elephants have NOT been returned to the park. 

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Mntambo said earlier this week arrangements were made to use the helicopter to herd them back. The pilot was on Wednesday currently waiting for the weather to clear before herding them back. The elephants often escape through two separate routes. 

“The first one is the Phongolo River and the second one is an area known as KwaBanakile where the community removed the fence and prevented Ezemvelo officials from doing their work.” Musa Mntambo

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ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO USE THE HELICOPTER TO HERD THEM BACK 

He said Ezemvelo will continue to engage the community to allow the erection of the fence along the Phongolo river and also appeals to the community to report those who continue to remove the fence and threaten Ezemvelo officials when they do their work. 

Media statement 21 December 2023 pic.twitter.com/CGl8Pcdn0X

— EZEMVELO KZNWildlife (@EZEMVELOKZNWild) December 21, 2023

“The community is requested to contact Mr. Cedric Coetzee on 082 559 2866 if they see elephants that have escaped from any of Ezemvelo Game Reserves.” 

EZEMVELO APPEALED TO THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO REMOVE THE FENCE 

Meanwhile, the Board Chairperson of KwaZulu Natal Nature Conservation Services (The Board), Lydia Johnson, has appealled to those who continue cutting the perimeter of Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park (HiP) to desist from cutting and stealing the fence as their actions are adding unnecessary costs, delaying the completion of the re-fencing project, and placing the lives of innocent community members at risk of being attacked by dangerous wild animals form HiP.

STOP CUTTING AND STEALING THE FENCE 

Johnson and her board members also made the appeal to the community at a meeting earlier this month.

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Mntambo said over the last six months, there were several incidents where fencing was cut, stolen or poles destroyed.

THERE WERE SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE FENCING WAS CUT, STOLEN OR POLES DESTROYED 

The incidents include:

• 11 July: 48m of boundary fence cut in Mchachazo.
• 12 July: 50m of fence removed and stolen in Mpelanyane.
• 19 July: A metre of electrical wire destroyed by poachers and 20m of fence removed in Siyembeni.
• 27 July: 30m of fence cut and stolen in Mchachazo, Masinda.
• 21 August: Gunjaneni gate stolen with another part of the gate destroyed.
• 31 August: 60m of boundary fence cut and stolen =in ka Masi, Siyembeni in Masinda.
• 16 September: More than 50 poles cut and stolen in Sokosoko.
• 31 October: 60m fence cut and stolen in Ezimambeni.
• 3 November: 50m of fence stolen and poles cut in Ezimambeni, Masinda.

“ When the current Board was appointed it faced an angry community members following the much reported lions’ escape from HiP. They were sporading protests which threatened conservation efforts in the area. 

“We however managed to find each other and have achived a lot working together. I appeal to all structures to again work with us during this fence erection project,”Johnson said. 

NEW FENCE WILL BE ERECTED IN A STREACH THAT COVERS 11.5KM

Mntambo added that new fence that covers and area that is more than 4.5km has been rected. 

“New fence will be erected in a stretch that covers 11.5km along the Cengeni gate.”