FaFlo (Fauna and Flora) Zim a Civil Society Organisation aimed at promoting an ecologically rich, clean and healthy environment said the ever increasing number in cases of human- wildlife conflicts have become a cause for concern in Zimbabwe.The remark was made by FaFlo Zim director Fidelicy Nyamukondiwa following the trampling to death of a 22-year-old woman and her six months old baby in Kushinga B village under Chief Musikavanhu in Chipinge on January 1, 2022.“Human-wildlife conflicts and most particularly human-elephant conflicts are a serious cause for concern in Zimbabwe. The annual number of people trampled to death by elephants is disturbingly high.“Resource competition between growing human populations and elephants is a major cause of human-elephant conflict. People end up encroaching into game reserves thereby increasing human-wildlife interactions,” said Nyamukondiwa.He went on to say that vandalism of game reserve fences are the major driver of human-wildlife conflict and at most there is no compensation for the victims.“Vandalism of game reserve perimeter fences by villagers and sometimes late responses to emergency situations by authorities also contribute to the rise in human-wildlife conflict fatalities.“The gap in our wildlife legislation is that there is no room for compensation for human and wildlife victims or their families. We are still using a colonial piece of legislation which is archaic and requires urgent amendment,” said Nyamukondiwa.However, Nyamukondiwa said his organisation suggests some possible practical solutions to curb the conflicts. “The responsible authority should erect or repair vandalised perimeter fences. At FaFlo Zim we are encouraging people to construct what are known as beehive fences.
