Human-wildlife conflict tackled at Re Jala Peo conference

The community of Maun was recently treated to an informative conference about human-wildlife conflict and exposed to positive ways of taking care of the environment in a conference organised by Re Jala Peo organisation.

Department of Wildlife and National Park Officer, Thebeyakgosi Horatius said it is critical for people to learn about their environment and wildlife. He said the theme of the event, 'Save our endangered animals’ resonated well with their mission to conserve and protect animals.

“At Department of Wildlife, we have got a mission to conserve and protect the flora and the fauna to benefit the community for economic value purposes. Through findings, we do counting of animals, fish, birds, which help us make certain decisions,” he said.

The event hosted students and their parents, something that Horatius said is very important because children have to be taught about the environment and animals from a young age. The students had a chance to also share knowledge on the relevant topics through their various presentations from different schools.

He explained that their department is depressed by the fact that poaching has become one element that extinct plants and animal species.

“We experience poaching in animals, fish, insects and trees,” he said emphasising that even trees are poached and the community should be aware that they need a permit for fetching firewood in the wild,” he said.

He added that the country is experiencing a decline in some animal species as a result of poaching.

One of the parents in attendance, Clifford Libalambwe said the event served as a learning opportunity for both the young and the old. He applauded Re Jala Peo, saying that human-wildlife conflict is one of the disturbing issues in areas including Chobe and Okavango but the event has highlighted that animals also have the right to live than being killed, even when it is people who have invaded their natural habitat.

“Topics on environment and animals are very important. I’m happy that Re Jala Peo has taken responsibility to expose children to these topics. Children are being groomed as better characters. “They learn different activities including recycling to care for their environment and these activities also just keep them busy to find themselves being involved in reckless behaviour,” he said, noting that he usually attends some of Re Jala Peo activities to support his 11-year old son.

Refilwe Baatweng, who is a Communities for Conservation Officer-Development at Cheetah Conservation Botswana, lamented that, indeed animals, including the cheetah are at risk of extinction. She said that where the organisation is based in Ghanzi region, a lot of farmers do not see to eye with cheetahs as they believe that they prey on their livestock.

“The truth of the matter is that, as human beings, we have occupied some of the animals’ spaces and this means they do not have enough food and end up attacking livestock for consumption,” she said emphasising that it is high time people learned that the same wildlife they poach or kill as revenge for killing their livestock is the same source of income for the country through tourism.