Blantina Berejena
Centre News Hub
Jackals have wrecked havoc in Mushandike irrigation scheme as at least tens of people have been attacked recently.
Villagers of Mushandike irrigation area are now living in perpetual fear of attack from wild animals.
On Sartuday 13 September 2025, Josita Chadziva, Netsai Zinhunwe, Duduzile Chengeta and another unidentified woman from village 21 were attacked at different scenes by jackals as they were heading to a funeral in village 23 .
They were rushed to Bhuka clinic then referred to Masvingo General hospital where they they were faced difficulties to raise medical fees for treatment and prevention of the rabies disease.
The villagers are appealing for assitance from well wishers as they are poverty stricken and hardly have any income to make ends meet.
Some of the victims of the attacks include Antony Chiketa who had his employee Elfas Masvosvevere of village 24B early in the morning while looking for his donkeys early September this year.
” I was in the road about 700m from the homestead when a jackal suddenly attacked my right leg. I was scarred and even sustained a wound that bled for a while. I went to Bondolfi clinic to seek treatment but they had no drugs.l have a swollen leg and sometimes the affected area is itchy and l am applying traditional herbs, ” Chiketa narrated.
In August Obert Shereni of village 24 was attacked by a jackal again in the neck and sustained heavy wounds injuries.
Local authority representative for the area Ward 10 councillor, Junior Charumbira, in a video circulating on social media is appealing for assistance to purchase rabbies drugs for victims as well as for Zimparks to intervene in the human and wildlife conflict bedeviling his community.
Jackals are opportunistic scavengers and hunters that oftenly prey on small domestic animals like goats, sheeps, turkeys and chicken, in rare cases they can prey on big domestic livestock like cattle and donkeys.
Now they have turned to humans in an unusual development that has left the communitty shell shocked.
Efforts to get a comment from Zimparks were fruitless.
Leave a Reply