Beitbridge Deploys Professional Hunters as Elephant Conflict Intensifies

Zimparks rangers and cadet rangers monitoring wildlife movement

The Beitbridge Rural District Council (BRDC) has engaged professional hunters to help manage escalating human-elephant conflict affecting communities across the district. The move comes as elephant incursions become increasingly frequent in areas near major water sources, particularly along the Umzingwane River, Shashe River, Bubi River, and Limpopo River. Communities in Shashe, Dite, Lukange, Whunga, Mpande, Tshambombela, Tongwe and Tshikwalakwala are among the hardest hit, with residents reporting repeated crop destruction and growing threats to livelihoods.

BRDC chief executive officer Kiliboni Mbedzi said the council is working with multiple stakeholders to mitigate the situation and promote safer coexistence between people and wildlife.

“As the local authority, we have engaged professional hunters working with the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and safari operators to mitigate the effects in all the affected areas,” Mbedzi said.

She noted that response efforts are ongoing despite limited resources, with authorities attending to distress calls from affected communities.

“The herd is migrant, and it’s hard for us to be everywhere all the time, but we remain committed to finding sustainable solutions,” she added.

Authorities say the elephants are moving through the district in search of food and water, a pattern that often brings them into direct contact with rural settlements.

In addition to deploying professional hunters, BRDC and its partners are implementing a range of mitigation measures. These include the use of chilli-based deterrents and beehive fences, which are widely used in southern Africa to keep elephants away from crops. Plans are also underway to establish wildlife corridors aimed at reducing encounters by guiding animal movement away from densely populated areas. Human-wildlife conflict remains a persistent challenge in parts of Zimbabwe, particularly in districts bordering conservation areas and transboundary ecosystems linked to the Limpopo basin.

Mbedzi urged residents to remain vigilant and report elephant sightings promptly to authorities to allow for quicker response times. The council says it will continue working with Zimparks and other stakeholders to protect both communities and wildlife, while exploring long-term solutions to reduce conflict and safeguard rural livelihoods.

Beitbridge elephant conflict