Two fishermen have been killed by a hippo in Kalabo district.
Liuwa Area Warden Gabriel Masaku has confirmed the deaths to ZANIS and identified the victims as Bipanda Bipanda, 22, believed to be from Lukulu district and Musole Kayawe, 17, of Namatindi area of Chief Simioti in Kalabo district.
Mr. Masaku disclosed that the duo met their fate around Sifuluti area near the Luanginga-Zambezi river confluence in separate attack incidents which happened on Thursday and Friday last week.
He said the remains of Bipanda were buried over the weekend while those of Kayawe were buried yesterday.
He disclosed that the victims were mauled by the hippo after the canoe in which they were in was hit and capsized.
Mr. Masaku said wildlife officers have been deployed to the scene in order to hunt down the hippo which is believed to have calves.
He explained that hippos are highly territorial and aggressive particularly when females have calves or males are protecting their harems.
Meanwhile, Kalabo District Commissioner Fridah Luhila who attended the burial of Musole Kayawe in Namatindi area has described the incidents as heartbreaking.
Those are young boys who should be in school, not fishing.
What if they have no money to be in school?
Why for gods sake are you going to kill a hippo with calves. Sensitise the people that hippos are breeding in these areas to avoid the places. hippos cant live out of the water! its there habitat! People are going round sharks in developed countries and we have the same brains even better.
Save Hippos and humans please! don’t kill
Thanks