Number of Buffaloes found dead rises to 35

The number of Buffaloes found dead in the Kafue National Park in lake Itezhi-tezhi under mysterious circumstances has risen to 35.

The thirty five buffaloes were found dead and floating in lake Itezhi-tezhi in the Kafue national park in Itezhi-tezhi district on Monday.

According to Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), police, and Itezhi-tezhi district agriculture coordinator Frank Lubasi who represented the Acting Itezhi-tezhi district commissioner who is out on official duties, the 35 buffaloes died at Musa top area in Lake Itezhi-tezhi on Monday.

Mr. Lubasi said that the 35 five buffaloes mostly young ones were found floating near the edge of lake Itezhi-tezhi.

‘We have found 35 buffaloes dead in top Musa area in the lake. We have not yet established the real cause of the massive deaths of the buffaloes but the most likely cause is stampede” he said.

He disclosed that poisoning on the buffaloes has been ruled out because no other animal species have been found dead at the same place.

” Preliminary indications have ruled out poisoning of the animals because if they were poisoned, we could have found other animals species dead at the same area but it was only buffaloes that were found dead. Hippos and other animals like kudus and impalas found in the same area not affected,” said Mr. Lubasi.

“No other animal species have died, not even evidence of fish that has died at the same place. there also is no evidence of other animals recovery from any kind of poisoning for us suspect they were poisoned and even in cases were the water is poisoned the mass of lake itezhi-tezhi is too big to cause death of the animals’ he said.

He said that ZAWA suspects that the animals could have died due to stampede caused by lions that were chasing them.

“Buffaloes usually move in herds of about 1,000 with one leader, when they are disturbed they all run to the same direction thereby injuring them.” He said.

” We received the reports about the 35 buffaloes which were found floating on lake Itezhi-tezhi, but the reports reached late to the veterinary department to make an accurate autopsy,” Mr. Lubasi said.

“In a quest to verify the reports we went to top Musa with a team comprising the district veterinary officers, ZAWA officers and some Wide World Vet veterinary officers from the United Kingdom, we found a mass of the 35 buffaloes carcasses floating on the water” He said.

He said that ZAWA wildlife officers brought the veterinary officers from UK to try to establish the cause of the wild animals.Security has been tightened at top Musa area to prevent people from getting the carcasses.

ZAWA officers have been deployed to the area and have been manning the area 24 hour services.

ZANIS