A disturbing situation has emerged in Shorobe area, that could have significant implications for both wildlife and livestock.

The deterioration of the buffalo fence in this area has led to an unexpected and alarming scenario: buffaloes and cattle are now grazing together. This unusual mingling of species has ignited fears of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals.

The Buffalo Fence is a veterinary fence that keeps the buffalo away from cattle farms and divides farming areas from the Okavango Delta. The purpose of the 1982 fence was to stop livestock from contracting foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) from diseased buffalo.

Due to environmental factors and wear over time, the buffalo fence in Shorobe has fallen into disrepair, allowing buffaloes to roam freely into cattle grazing areas. The mingling of these two populations raises significant concerns, as the risk of disease transmission increases when species that typically do not interact share the same grazing lands.

Farmers in the Shokomokwa area told The Okavango Express that the situation has gotten out of control, saying, “When kraaling cattle at night, you have to be careful because there might be a buffalo coming together with the cattle.” The situation is made worse by the buffalo fence’s poor condition, which allows cattle and buffaloes to move beyond and backwards of it interchangeably.

Area councilor Kobamelo Baikgodisi recently toured the fence to observe its condition. He told The Okavango Express that the fence condition is bad and a worsen cases of human and wildlife conflicts in the area as wild animals easily cross to the neighboring farming areas.