At least three people were injured after chaos broke out in Linda Compound of Livingstone when residents clashed with authorities over a dead elephant, reported in the early hours of today, Thursday, 19th March 2026.
The Ministry of Tourism, through Principal Public Relations Officer Nelly Banda, confirmed that the incident was reported around 07:00 hours by a concerned community member.
Banda said officers from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) Mosi-oa-Tunya Office were immediately dispatched to the scene and found a large crowd, with some individuals already cutting and collecting meat from the elephant carcass.
She explained that the situation quickly escalated, with sections of the crowd becoming hostile, thereby posing a risk to both officers and members of the public and hindering efforts to secure the scene and initiate investigations.
Support was later sought from the Zambia Police Service, who responded promptly to restore order.
Initial attempts to disperse the crowd proved unsuccessful, forcing officers to use tear gas. During the operation,7 three individuals sustained injuries from rubber bullets and were attended to.
Despite the challenges, officers successfully secured and retrieved the elephant’s ivory.
The cause of death of the animal remains unknown, and investigations are currently underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Banda noted that the situation has since normalized and calm has been restored in the area. She urged members of the public to refrain from interfering with wildlife scenes and to promptly report such incidents to authorities to ensure proper handling and investigation.
She stated that the incident underscores the ongoing challenges of human-wildlife conflict and reiterates the Ministry’s commitment to safeguarding both human life and wildlife
Credit : LStone/Report