Human wildlife conflicts continues, and the death toll is continuing to go even higher, this time the victim is a wildlife officer. Moiteredi Seipheto, a wildlife officer from Mosu village, who was based at Letlhakane wildlife station succumbed to a painful death by an elephant over the weekend- on Saturday the 6th of March 2021.
Giving an announcement on the unfortunate incident, the director of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP)- Dr. Kabelo Senyatso revealed that Seipheto met his demise when he and his colleagues were attending to elephant damage reports in the Kaka ranches. That is where the injured elephant attacked and fatally wounded the deceased at 4B ranches in Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) / Setata end in the Central district.
“The incident occured when three (3) DNWP officers, including the deceased, were attending an elephant damage reports in the Kaka ranches. The elephant appeared to have been injured and thereupon Wildlife officers took a decision to tranquilize the elephant.” Senyatso indicated.
According to Senyatso, the deceased and the other officer followed an elephant with rifles in an attempt to tranquilize it, of which their attempts were unsuccessful, then followed it for about a kilometer on foot. After failing for the second time to put it down, the elephant turned around and attacked the deceased. After the attack Seipheto was rushed to Rakops Hospital where he was certified dead upon arrival.
Meanwhile the said elephant is still on the loose, around the Setata ranches, as the wildlife officers with the help of other stakeholders like the police are on the search of this potentially dangerous elephant, the farmers are cautioned to look out for it and report should they come across any injured elephant in that locality.
“The Ministry requests the public to honour Seipheto, a man who lost his life in the line of duty protecting national assets.” Senyatso charged.
