Two fully grown African bush Elephants in Itezhi-tezhi District have died after being electrocuted.
The incident happened when the two adult male Elephants got in contact with a live 33Kilovolts (KV) ZESCO main power line.
The power line which was hanging low following a heavy down pour caused the electrocution of the mammals.The live wire is the main power supply line from Choma power station to Itzhi-tezhi district.
Zambia Wild (ZAWA) Public Relations Officer Wilfred Moonga said this in a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka, yesterday.
Mr. Moonga added that the accident happened last week just below the Itzhi-tezhi dam in Nkala Game Management Area, bordering the Kafue National Park.
He added that the electrocuted elephants were only discovered dead within six meters from the over hanging live wire.
Mr. Moonga further disclosed that ZESCO has however, replaced the falling pole with a new one to avoid more accidents.[quote]
ZAWA has since removed and secured the elephants tusks and disposed off the carcasses by distributing the meat to the local communities and various government and non governmental organizations operating within Itzhi-tezhi district.
Efforts to get ZESCO spokesperson Lucy Zimba to comment on the matter proved futile by press time as her phone line was constantly engaged.
ZANIS
Thats a nice picture of our president
One of those things about nature and atleast meat was distributed to the poor villagers
I feel sorry for the njovus. Once agian they suffer at the hands of human inventions. How often does ZESCO check these poles?. Its hard to accept this death as one caused by nature. What if it was a human who was electrocuted. we would be crying for somebody to be axed from ZESCO. Sadly its an animal and as ussual people were salivating for the meat. Good to learn ZESCO has since restored the poles.
As unfortunate as it was,it was still an accident, and chastising those starving people
for wanting the meat is ridiculous.
How can meat of electrocuted Elepants be distributed to people by government? This is shameful! They should have buried the cacurses.
For people who have access to grocery store meat, it does not grow out of the ground. Everyday in this world thousands and thousands of pigs are electrocuted in massive slaughterhouses. People need to eat, that is the bottom line. Millions of people in Africa do not have access to grocery store meat. The incident is very unfortunate, but turning it into a positive by feeding the needy is not shameful. The shameful thing is that someone you would rather see these people starve.
It is not your right to judge them unless you have walked a mile in their shoes.
I also feel sorry for the animals but I think such mishaps will always happen whenever human technology advances into the animal kingdom. One would have actually expected the thick Elephant skin to protect it from the current but 33Kilovolts is just too much.
ITT is now making headlines with wildlife/ZAWA. A short while ago it was buffallos; now it’s elephant. In the previous case ZAWA blamed Vets but this time we are told the meat was shared without any mention of the Vets. Somebody should keep an eye on the ZAWA/GRZ staff in ITT before we lose all the animals including the dam.
On the other hand, we should quickly resolve the Man-Animal conflict.Several times elephants damage our crops. e.g. the Choma Case, but we are not compenseted by ZAWA. We are law-abiding citizens but do not push our tolerance.
No. 4. Don’t u appreciate that infact the meat was nicely grilled!! I don’t think it was any different from a grilled chicken at Hungry Lion. Les learn to appreciate Zesco and the Legacy Government, just a yr in power the villagers are already seeing the fruits of their VOTE.
Wow ! i guess the locals had a feast day enjoying elephasnt meat which came already grilled and seasoned with some intestinal juices(bile) from the elephant.Wow thats awesome
Zesco please check your power line every month. Next it will be the whole village of people electrocuted. Be serious Zesco
How long after their demise was meat distributed?
Hey i thought there are power cuts, now Zesco is killing animals, i cant believe Zesco up to now do not have modern circuit breakers that cuts the power flow when ever a large tension is put on their wires
This is absolute negligence on the part of ZESCO. This could happen to even a human being and zesco would not be responsible. This management is supposed to be taken to task over this and many other issues.
#7. Are you saying after being electrocuted, the meat was ready to eat? lol
I agree with #s 3,5,6,9,11, and 12. Those are good observations. Indeed one day we shall mourn the whole community out of this negligence by ZESCO.
Er, #4, can you tell us exactly what means the rural authority would use to BURY two FULLY GROWN ELEPHANTS?? Am thinking of what equipment and depth of the holes they’d have to did. Am seeing two big wells of water!
slumdog, did you answer why someone is trying to strangle you?
If they bury the meat, the villagers in the wee of the night would dig it up and consume. Obvoiusly the meat was certified edible by the vets!
Thats a s**t load of roasted game meat!
We also used to do what ZAWA is doing. Just give plastics to cattle, they eat they die and you have a feast on the meat. life continues!
Do we have town elephants??