Zimbabwean officials warn the public not to use undesignated and illegal crossing points when leaving the country as another person dies by hippo attack.
The victim, who has yet to be identified, was admitted to the Beitbridge District Hospital after the attack. Two hippos were subsequently shot and killed, reports the Chronicle.
The council spokesperson said:
“Two hippos were gunned down in Limpopo River (after) having injured an individual suspected to be a border jumper in the early hours of Friday. The injured individual is said to have passed on later at the Beitbridge District Hospital. This is the fourth such incident in the border town this year alone,”
Just four months ago a member of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), was killed by a hippo on the banks of the Limpopo River while on border patrol.
According to Zimbabwe News Network, in August, a group of ‘border jumpers’ were attacked on their way into South Africa, killing a 20-year-old woman and injuring her three-year-old son.
Zimparks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo said:
“Usually when such occurrences happen, we put down these animals and that is what happened to these two hippos which have been terrorising people along the Limpopo River. We also urge people to stay away from water bodies to avoid unnecessary deaths.”
SOURCE: GETAWAY