Conservationists in the Imobi area of Ogun State have said that no elephant anyone in the area in recent times.
Following a viral video showing a half naked young man filming two elephants, there were insertions that the beasts killed one of the fellows.
But, according to ConservationsNG, the a spokesperson for the experts, Filip Van Trier , a Belgian who has spent most of his life in Nigeria, revealed that the incident happened last Saturday but there was no casualty.
View this post on Instagram:
THIS HAPPENED LAST SATURDAY, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO AROUND IMOBI VILLAGE, OGUN STATE. A SMALL GROUP OF YOUNGSTERS CAME FROM A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY HAVING HEARD ABOUT THE ELEPHANTS. THE YOUNGSTERS ENTERED THE ELEPHANTS’ �� RANGE WITHOUT THE RANGERS’ KNOWLEDGE, A VERY DANGEROUS THING TO DO. “THIS WAS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR IN A VILLAGE CLOSE TO THIS ONE, WHEN A YOUNGSTER WAS KILLED,” EXPERTS, IN CHARGE OF ELEPHANT CONSERVATION IN THE AREA SAID. “THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THESE 2 ELEPHANTS (MALE AND FEMALE) LEFT THE HERD RECENTLY TO FORM THEIR OWN GROUP. ALL IS UNDER CONTROL.” THE EXPERTS ADDED THAT IN THE MEANTIME ALL COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY WARNED. “WE HAVE TAKEN EXTRA MEASURES, “WE HAVE MADE SURE THAT THE ELEPHANTS ARE RELAXED WHERE THEY ARE AND FEEL AT HOME. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO CONFLICT BETWEEN THE ELEPHANTS AND VILLAGERS IF NOT PROVOKED. THE VILLAGERS ARE NOW PROUD OF THEIR NEW FRIENDS. WE ARE GETTING THERE TO SAVE THESE GENTLE GIANTS.” @NCF @FORESTELEPHANTINITIATIVE #WILDLIFECONSERVATION NB: WE DO NOT OWN THE VIDEO
A POST SHARED BY CONSERVATIONSNG (@CONSERVATIONSNG) ON AUG 14, 2019 AT 2:36AM PDT
A small group of youngsters came from a different community having heard about the elephants, he narrated.
The youngsters entered the elephants’ range without the rangers’s knowledge, a very dangerous thing to do.
“This was exactly what happened last year in Baoku when a youngster was killed,” Van Trier said.
“This will not happen again. These two elephants (male and female) left the herd recently to form there own group. All is under control.”
The expert added that in the meantime all communities have been seriously warned.
“We have taken extra measures,
“We have made sure that the elephants are relaxed where they are and feel at home. There is absolutely no conflict between the elephants and villagers if not provoked. The villagers are now proud of their new friends. We are getting there to save these gentle giants.”
