• By Marx Itamalo

THE Namibian Police is warning members of the public in the Ohangwena, Omusati and Kunene regions to be cautious of roaming elephants that are causing havoc in some constituencies in those regions.  According to police Senior Inspector Anna Kunga of Omusati region, elephants were recently seen feeding in mahangu fields at Onyalala and Ontanda villages in that region.
As a result, Kunga warned farmers and members of the public not to disturb the elephants. 

“They should not try to fight them at all. We know, they are destroying crops, but we should refrain from disturbing them. We have called the [Ministry of Environment and Tourism] and I believe they should be in the area soon,” Kunga explained. 
The Tsandi Constituency Councilor Junias Amunkete stressed that his office is in contact with the rangers to trace the animals and drive them into a nearby conservancy.  

Amunkete is on record saying that human encroachment on spaces that are home to elephants is the main reason for the growing conflict between the inhabitants and the animals.  Meanwhile, another herd was spotted moving between villages in the Omundaungilo Constituency of Ohagwena region along the border with Angola. 

The herd, comprising of six adults and several calves is reportedly to be feeding on farmers’ watermelons and pumpkins. Farmer Gerson Ndaonya told Confidente that the elephants crossed in from Angola on Sunday night. “I have personally seen them and they were aggressive. I think it is because of the calves. By the late afternoon (Monday), I heard they crossed the tar road facing east, into the direction of Oshikoto,” Ndaonya stated.  The police in Kunene region reported on Tuesday that a family at Kamanjab spent many hours on a tree after a herd of elephants invaded their dwellings.

“The people saw the elephants and climbed on trees. The animals did not do anything and were only passing through via an old route. Sometimes our people should understand that elephants would not normally disturb people or cause injury or death unless they are threatened,” the regional police crime bulletin read. “In the case of this family, the police went there only to find the elephants at a distance and moving away whilst the people were still on tree tops,” it continued.