More than 80 buffaloes have died in a tragic incident at the Namibia-Botswana border after the animals plunged from a steep cliff into the Chobe River while fleeing from lions, Namibian authorities confirmed Tuesday.
The buffalo herd was being pursued by lions in neighboring Botswana when they “fell from a deep cliff” into the river on the Namibian side of the border, according to a statement from Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism. The animals subsequently drowned after trampling over each other in the water.
The incident took place at around 05:00 local time near the Chobe River, which forms the natural boundary between the two southern African nations. The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation reported that 90 buffaloes perished in the stampede, making it one of the deadliest wildlife incidents in the region this year.
“Whenever they are chased by lions, they try to cross over into Namibia and start [trampling over] each other,” explained Mbeha Tadeus, an official at Namibia’s Kabulabula Conservancy, describing the dangerous pattern of buffalo behavior in the area.
The buffalo herd originated from Botswana, though officials could not definitively confirm whether they came specifically from Chobe National Park, a world-renowned wildlife destination famous for its large populations of elephants, buffaloes, and giraffes.
Ministry spokesperson Ndeshipanda Hamunyela told the BBC that local communities would benefit from the tragedy, as meat from the buffalo carcasses would be “distributed to communities in the immediate area.” Video footage shared by the Namibian public broadcaster showed residents gathering near the riverbank to collect and divide the meat among themselves.
This latest incident highlights an ongoing wildlife challenge in the region. The Chobe River area has witnessed similar tragedies in recent years, with hundreds of buffaloes dying under comparable circumstances. The most devastating case occurred in 2018, when approximately 400 buffaloes died after running into the same river system while being pursued by predators.
Buffalo stampedes are not uncommon in African wildlife ecosystems, where these massive animals – which can weigh up to 900kg – rely on herd mentality for protection against predators. However, this survival strategy can backfire catastrophically when geographical obstacles like cliffs and rivers block escape routes.
Local authorities continue to monitor the area for additional casualties and coordinate cleanup efforts along the riverbank.
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