Rogue elephants roam main road…again

Rogue elephants roaming the main road between Hoedspruit and Mica pose a major danger to motorists and residents and the problem is expected to get worse rather than improve.

Elephants on the main road between Mica and Hoedspruit last night.

This follows after yet another incident of elephants on the main road occurred Tuesday night when five young bulls were leisurely walking in the region of the Samey shopping complex at Mica in the direction of Phalaborwa.

Hoedspruit’s very vigilant Farm Watch was alerted. Pieter Papsdorf, Lafras Verwey and other members reacted immediately.

“At that stage the herd had already turned left onto the Mica/Gravelotte road without even using indicators”, Verwey told the Hoedsporuit Herald laughingly yesterday.

The young bulls were shepherded back with the assistance of numerous Farm Watch members and vehicles.

According to Verwey the elephants were calm at all times and never showed any aggression towards the “human invaders”.

The five young elephant bulls roaming the main road under the watchful eye of Hoedspruit Farm Watch Members. Photo: Lafras Verwey-Hoedspruit Farm Watch

The elephants eventually left the main road, under guidance of the Farm Watch, and entered the corridor between the Olifants River and Balule at exactly the same spot where they initially entered the main road.

Wildlife specialists warned this week that the problem will persist and probably get worse.

“There are probably two main issues,” Pieter Vorster, well-known Letsitele game farmer says.

“Firstly there is a lack of food due to the severe drought and we can expect more and more wild animals to enter main roads pursuing the greenery normally adjoining the tar. However, herd numbers and over population is probably an even bigger reason. It is a common known fact that the Kruger National Park is hugely over populated in elephant numbers. The fact that five young bulls roam together is probably an indication that they are under pressure due to large numbers in their existing herd,” Vorster explains.

All motorists using these, and other roads near the many reserves and game farms in the region, need to be aware of the problem and be on the look-out for elephants and other game.

Meanwhile the whole community expressed their gratitude towards the Hoedspruit Farm Watch for their sterling work in herding the elephants back to where they came from.

An issue of concern is that no traffic officials were ever on the scene to either guide traffic or assist in the relocation process.

As the problem is expected to worsen, it could become a very treacherous situation for motorists.