Three Elephants Shot Dead After Crop Raids Trigger Alarm in Bulilima

MATABELELAND SOUTH – Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZIMPARKS) rangers have shot and killed three elephants that were part of a herd invading farmland in Madlambudzi Ward.

The incident occurred on Thursday, 26, after the animals destroyed drying crops and posed a growing threat to villagers’ livelihoods in the district.

The culled elephants were identified by officials as the leading members of the herd, which had repeatedly entered fields in search of food.

The animals were initially sighted near Mafa and Khandamhlophe villages on Wednesday afternoon, moving toward the Thekwane River after trampling harvested crops.

Their behaviour was described as persistent and dangerous, with officials noting that the elephants had discovered easy access to food in nearby fields.

The increasing incursions are believed to stem from water shortages, as Maitengwe Dam—the herd’s main water source was damaged during the last rainy season and remains non-functional.

According to Pindula, an estimated US$500,000 is required to restore the dam’s infrastructure.

Local authorities suspect that the elephants were migrating from Hwange National Park, Tsholotsho, and even neighbouring Botswana in search of water and food.

Bulilima Rural District Council Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Biliati Mulauzi, confirmed the coordinated operation. “In collaboration with a safari operator and ZIMPARKS, we managed to drive most of the herd away. However, due to the danger posed, three elephants were put down during the effort,” he said.

The incident highlights the growing strain in Zimbabwe’s conservation frontier, where worsening droughts, degraded infrastructure, and expanding rural settlements are driving human-wildlife conflict to critical levels.

Conservationists and local leaders are now calling for urgent action to rehabilitate dams, protect crops, and develop safe migration corridors for wildlife.