Elephant put down near Katima Mulilo following attack

KATIMA MULILO, 25 MAR (NAMPA) - Officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism destroyed a male elephant on Tuesday after it attacked and injured a resident in the Chefuzwe area, located just outside Katima Mulilo.
The incident occurred during the early morning hours as the woman was walking to work.
“The information we received is that the elephant charged and attacked the woman while she was on her way to work. We visited the scene and she is very lucky to have survived the ordeal,” an environment ministry official told Nampa.
Reports indicate that the animal paused after the initial attack before eventually moving away. The victim, who briefly lost consciousness, was rescued by nearby residents and transported to the Katima Mulilo District Hospital. She is reported to be in stable condition with minor injuries.
The ministry decided to put the animal down later that day after spotting it in the vicinity. The official noted that the elephant remained highly aggressive, posing a significant risk to the residents and motorists who frequent the busy area. Following the operation, environment ministry officials recovered the elephant’s tusks, while the meat was distributed to members of the local community.
Rising floodwaters due to heavy rainfall in the region have displaced wildlife, pushing animals into higher ground where they are more likely to encounter people. The vegetation provides dense cover for the animals, making them hard to spot.
The ministry has thus issued a warning to the public to remain vigilant. Residents are urged to exercise extreme caution when moving through bushy areas as the risk of human-wildlife conflict remains elevated due to the current conditions.
(NAMPA)
MML/AS