Residents of a Dutywa village say a mystery animal is decimating their flocks.
So far 55 sheep from Nyandeni village of Lota near Dutywa have been lost to the nocturnal hunter in under a month.
Local traditional leaders and livestock owners are alarmed, especially as the animal kills when the sheep are penned in their kraals for the night.
Mbhashe Traditional Council acting head Prince Ntsika Sigcawu – who rules the village – and sub-headman Maphelo Mamba, 73, said they needed assistance in tracking and catching the animal.
Mamba said livestock losses were estimated to be around R82500.
On Saturday night village men and boys formed a hunting party but returned empty-handed.
“We appeal for assistance from an animal expert, including those in the environmental affairs and agriculture departments, to assist us before all our sheep are killed,” said Sigcawu.
Some say it could be a caracal or lynx, others believe it could even be a baboon.
“'We are afraid that this mysterious animal is going to kill all our sheep if it is not caught soon,” said Mamba. “Dogs are apparently afraid and make a howling noise when it attacks.”
Mamba said the attacks had taken place over three weeks and 10 families had so far been affected.
Widow Babiyana Nazo has suffered the highest loss – her niece Nosicelo Makinana, who lives with her, said they had lost 13 sheep so far. “It was last week on Sunday when I woke up to barking dogs at about 5am,” said Makinana. “On investigation I noticed that many sheep lay dead in the kraal and I raised the alarm thinking there was a thief who was trying to steal them.”
She said not all the sheep were dead – some had been left badly injured.
A Daily Dispatch team visited the village on Friday and again on Saturday, and was shown the injured sheep.
The family of Zolani Mkiva – Nelson Mandela’s former praise singer – has reportedly lost 10 sheep after they were attacked on two different nights.
The Dispatch was unable to raise comment from the department of environmental affairs at the time of writing. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Mystery animal rips through village flocks
So far 55 sheep from Nyandeni village of Lota near Dutywa have been lost to the nocturnal hunter in under a month.
Local traditional leaders and livestock owners are alarmed, especially as the animal kills when the sheep are penned in their kraals for the night.
Mbhashe Traditional Council acting head Prince Ntsika Sigcawu – who rules the village – and sub-headman Maphelo Mamba, 73, said they needed assistance in tracking and catching the animal.
Mamba said livestock losses were estimated to be around R82500.
On Saturday night village men and boys formed a hunting party but returned empty-handed.
“We appeal for assistance from an animal expert, including those in the environmental affairs and agriculture departments, to assist us before all our sheep are killed,” said Sigcawu.
Some say it could be a caracal or lynx, others believe it could even be a baboon.
“'We are afraid that this mysterious animal is going to kill all our sheep if it is not caught soon,” said Mamba. “Dogs are apparently afraid and make a howling noise when it attacks.”
Mamba said the attacks had taken place over three weeks and 10 families had so far been affected.
Widow Babiyana Nazo has suffered the highest loss – her niece Nosicelo Makinana, who lives with her, said they had lost 13 sheep so far. “It was last week on Sunday when I woke up to barking dogs at about 5am,” said Makinana. “On investigation I noticed that many sheep lay dead in the kraal and I raised the alarm thinking there was a thief who was trying to steal them.”
She said not all the sheep were dead – some had been left badly injured.
A Daily Dispatch team visited the village on Friday and again on Saturday, and was shown the injured sheep.
The family of Zolani Mkiva – Nelson Mandela’s former praise singer – has reportedly lost 10 sheep after they were attacked on two different nights.
The Dispatch was unable to raise comment from the department of environmental affairs at the time of writing. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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