Namibian government issues warning after fatal wildlife attacks

Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism issued a cautionary statement on Friday following a series of tragic incidents involving fatal wildlife attacks in the Kavango East and West regions in northeastern Namibia.

The ministry spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, expressed deep concern over the recent surge in human-wildlife conflicts (HWC), urging residents in relevant areas to remain vigilant to prevent further tragedies.

Muyunda mentioned two incidents in the Kavango East region involving crocodile attacks. The first incident occurred on Monday, claiming the life of a female resident of Shikoro village who was attacked and killed while fetching water from the Kavango River, Muyunda said.

Another tragic incident happened on Thursday, when a 17-year-old boy lost his life to a crocodile attack while fetching water from a river.

Additionally, Muyunda mentioned a separate incident that occurred last month in the Kavango West region, where a 50-year-old man suffered severe injuries in Marema village and is currently receiving medical treatment.

"All these incidents are regrettable for the ministry. We continue to engage in HWC mitigation and prevention measures, including water installations to affected communities. We do not wish to lose precious lives as a result of wildlife. We sincerely offer our condolences to the bereaved families in this regard," he said.

According to government statistics, since 2019, over 2.3 million Namibian dollars (about $122,000) have been paid out to compensate for losses caused by crocodiles. Additionally, at least 33 people have been killed, and 54 others injured due to HWC in Namibia since 2019.