PARKS rangers have been called to intervene in a village in Beitbridge district after hyenas killed up to 100 donkeys over the last five months.
Villagers in Maramani – which is separated from a game reserve by the Thuli River on the border with Botswana – fear the hyenas will soon start killing people.
Village head John Maramani said: “We are really concerned about the problem of hyenas, which continue to feast on our livestock.
“We recently held a meeting during which villagers indicated that they had lost 94 donkeys at Maramani and surrounding areas.”
The hyenas had also killed other livestock such as goats and cattle – but the toll was most severe on donkeys because they graze at night.
Villager Molly Sebata told the Bulawayo Sunday News she had lost five donkeys to the hyenas which hunt in packs.
Luka Ndou, the councillor for ward 8, said: “Every month we get reports of about 20 animals, especially donkeys, having been attacked by hyenas.
“We have engaged a local safari operator to address the problem.”
Headman Maramani said he had also asked the Parks and Wildlife Department to deploy rangers to hunt down and kill the hyenas.
“If this problem is not addressed as a matter of urgency, we will lose all our livestock and then it will be people next,” he said.