More than 80 buffaloes have drowned in Namibia’s Chobe River after a lion chase triggered a stampede, officials confirmed.
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has confirmed that over 80 buffaloes drowned in Namibia’s Chobe River following a stampede triggered by lions.
Ministerial spokesperson Ndeshipanda Hamunyela said the incident occurred in the Serondela area when lions chased a herd of buffalo from the Botswana side of the river into Namibia. She explained that the animals plunged from a steep cliff into the river, with some tumbling over each other.
“The ministry and other law enforcement officials are on site to maintain law and order. The meat will be distributed to communities in the immediate area,” Hamunyela said.
A similar event in 2023 claimed the lives of more than 100 buffaloes in the same river.