Swift action by Environment ministry ensures that young jumbo can roam freely again

An elephant calf that was observed with a wire snare in Etosha near Namutoni was this week
darted and treated by a team under the leadership of a wildlife veterinarian.

According to the Ministry of Environment spokesperson Romeo Muyunda the young elephant suffered serious injuries as a results of the wire snare, but no vital structures appeared to be damaged according to the team that attended to the elephant.

“The Ministry is confident that even though the leg will take time to heal, the elephant will recover. Our staff member will continuously monitor the situation,” he added.

Muyunda said the elephant was initially reported to MEFT officials in the park on 27 September.

“On 29 September, we located the elephant leading to the operation. We appreciate the concern from members of the public about the wellbeing of the young elephant. We appreciate the continuous reports on wildlife management that we receive from our visitors to all our national park and the public at large,” he added.

Meanwhile Muyunda said the ministry is mandated by the constitution to protect the natural resources of the country for the benefit of our citizens both in the present and future.

Caption: Dr. Axel M. Hartman and his team operate on the injured elephant that was caught in a snare. (Photo by Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism).