Calvin Manika
VILLAGERS in Mabale were left shell shocked on Valentine’s Day after a man from Dopota village was killed by a lone hyena.
Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda confirmed the incident.
“The informant was walking along the road when he saw some blood strains on the edge of the road. The blood strains led to the forest. A report was made at ZRP Dete and consequently the police attended the scene in the company of the national park rangers,” said Inspector Banda.
From the police memo seen by this publication, after about 500 metres from the road, the officers saw a bottle of beer, hyena footprints and torn clothes which Khumalo Ndlovu, a Dopota villager positively identified as that of Jealous Dube of the same village.
Officers tracked the trail for about 2 kilometres where they noticed a hyena.
Inspector Banda added: “Upon being noticed the hyena ran away and they followed it. It is then when they discovered a disfigured half human body which starts from the abdomen going upwards. His cousin positively identified the remains as that one of Dube.”
The deceased was last seen at Dopota shopping Centre on Valentine’s Day eve around 10PM in a beer binge with friends.
Human wildlife conflict is prevalent in the area because of its close proximity to the Hwange National Park. Lately, hyenas have been a menace in the area prowling on livestock, but the recent incident left the Dopota and the surrounding villages in shock.
Speaking to The Zambezi Times, Dumisani Ncube, a villager in Mabale said: “We have grown up in this area living side by side with these animals but of late the conflict is increasing. We are shocked with the death of our kinsman.”
Both the police and local leadership have discouraged walking during the night due to danger posed by wild animals.
