NO one was hurt when a group of elephants caused a major scare in Unyianga Ward, Singida municipality, after they invaded a residential area, forcing residents to flee their homes in panic, local reports affirm.

Inspector Costa Nemes of the Unyianga ward police post said in an interview that upon receiving reports of the elephants, the police immediately secured the area, as three elephants appeared in the community two days ago.

Residents ran for safety while others dangerously attempted to get a closer look, witnesses said, with reports affirming that following the incident, police and Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) officials as well as the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), quickly arrived at the scene. 

Their primary goal was to contain the elephants and prevent them from causing harm to the public, the police officer said, noting that the first step was to manage the large crowd of people who had gathered, urging them to keep a safe distance to allow wildlife experts to work. 

"After receiving reports that there were elephants in my jurisdiction, I took the initiative to come and urge the citizens to stay away so that the process of removing the elephants could proceed. The residents respected this request and stood aside," he stated.

Denis Kisika, a TAWIRI researcher, explained that he and his colleagues were already in the region to fit elephants with collars to monitor their movements. While pursuing this exercise, the stray elephants report came, so the researchers arrived to control them, fit them with collars, and return them to their conservation areas, he specified. 

“We are grateful for the cooperation we are receiving from the public and various departments," he stated, while Dr. Idd Ipende, a senior researcher from TAWIRI, said that the collars have a global positioning system component, and a VSF component, a tracking mechanism. 

"The GPS part helps officials to know which areas the elephant has passed through,” he stated, noting that the collars will also help officers track elephants that have left their habitats and are heading towards human settlement.

They will be able to intervene and prevent potential harm, while also assisting in residential planning when areas that elephants frequent can be designated as no-development zones, he said.

Adam Omari, a resident of Unyianga, said the sight of the elephants caused great alarm, and his immediate thought was how their children would be able to return home from school safely.

Godfrey Mndama, the outgoing councilor for Unyianga ward, expressed gratitude for the swift response from TAWA, TAWIRI and the police, for arriving at the scene in time. 

“So far, no harm has been done, although the operation has been difficult because of how residents are reacting. We have been trying to control people in the area to make the elephant removal process easier, but unfortunately, they are not quick to follow instructions," he added.