Drama in Etosha as worm harvesters stray into national park

Placido Hilukilwa

THERE was drama in the Etosha National Park on Saturday where the Namibian police and nature conservation officials had to use a helicopter, a small aircraft and armed officers on the ground to deal with mopane worm harvesters who strayed into the Park.

This happened despite strict warnings by the Ministry of Environment, constituency councillors and traditional leaders over several days and through a variety of platforms.

An undetermined number of people were caught red-handed harvesting mopane worms inside the park, which is strictly prohibited not only for endangered wildlife in the Park but also because those who so stray into the lion-infested park are putting their own lives in danger.

They were rounded up and removed from the park. Their plastic containers and bags of worms were confiscated and taken away to be destroyed.

Their camping site at the Oshiku village, outside but near the Park’s fence, was also dismantled and they were ordered to return to their villages of origin.

A vehicle owner who transported some of the harvesters to the site, and who preferred anonymity, said that the straying into the Etosha National Park was not premeditated.

“People simply fell into temptation after harvesting worms on this side of the fence and seeing the abundant worms on the other side of the fence. They were tempted to cross over using the small gate that is reserved for park wardens only,” he said.

He said that all the harvesters whose worms were confiscated suffered a very big loss.

The transport cost to and from the site is around N$300 per person.
He added: “Paying such a big amount of money only to return empty-handed is a big loss.”

He said that the vehicle owners also lost because some harvesters, who were unable to pay cash, were going to pay in kind, giving the transporter a pre-agreed quantity of worms.

“Now they have nothing to give,” said the anonymous source.