Windhoek
A total of 48 people were killed by wild animals across Namibia between 2013 to date, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism has confirmed.
An unspecified number of people sustained injuries of varying degrees, the ministry further said.
The director of parks in the ministry, Colgar Sikopo, on Friday said many deaths were caused by elephants and crocodiles, mainly in the Kavango and Zambezi regions.
He said only two cases of the 48 were reported in Erongo Region, in which two boys died following snake bites.
Of the 48 cases recorded, 12 people were killed this year alone, 19 died last year and 17 were killed in 2013.
Although the ministry does not really compensate the family of people killed by wild animals, Sikopo said a sum of N$5 000 is normally offered to family members to help with funeral costs.
The most recent case recorded is that of a 58-year-old woman who was attacked and killed by an elephant at Ngone village in the Kavango East last week.
The Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism Tommy Nambahu expressed his sympathy and condolences to the bereaved family of the latest victim, as well as to the family of a nine-year-old boy in the same region who died in a crocodile attack while swimming at Shamvura.
Nambahu said that after the incident involving the 58-year-old woman, ministry officials were dispatched to Ngone village immediately upon receiving the news.
He revealed that the fatal attack was by a solitary elephant bull which could have been angered by dogs that were barking at it while it was passing in the bush close to the village.
“Due to the nature of the incident and because this is an elephant that broke away from the herd, and fear that more conflict could be caused by this elephant, officials were directed to destroy it,” he said. Unfortunately, he said, the elephant has re-joined the herd in the Khaudum National Park, which makes it difficult to be identified. Officials, he said, however remain in the area for further observations and actions as may be required.
Nambahu cautioned all communities living along the rivers, and the general public, not to take risks that may result in further loss of lives.
Further, he urged parents and community leaders living along rivers to warn children swimming or bathing in the water that it is dangerous to do so and that they put themselves at risk of being killed by crocodiles. Equally, those fishing were also warned to be vigilant and conduct their activities in the safest manner possible.
Compensation categories, Sikopo said, include the destruction of crops by herbivores such as elephants, and the killing of livestock by predators such as hyena, jackal and leopard. The compensation for crop damage is about N$800 per hectare, while losses of goats and cattle range from N$200 to N$400.