[Mail and Globe] Growing pressure from poaching and human encroachment has driven hundreds of elephants to migrate across Zimbabwe's borders and at least one leopard to stalk an upmarket suburb of the capital, conservationists said on Monday. The independent Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force appealed in its latest monthly bulletin for more action -- and money -- to preserve the troubled nation's wildlife.
In Zimbabwe's economic meltdown, "humans are encroaching more and more into areas previously reserved for wildlife", the task force said.
As many as 400 elephants have crossed the Zambezi River, which separates Zambia from northern Zimbabwe, in recent months, said Johnny Rodrigues, head of the task force.
Three elephants also roamed into the eastern border city of Mutare this month and state wildlife authorities "want to shoot them before they kill somebody", he said.
The task force and a Zimbabwe animal group received official authority to capture and transport the elephants to Chipinda Pools, believed to be their original home area 200km to the south.
"The problem is funding for the relocation," Rodrigues said.
State game rangers "won't wait much longer before destroying the elephants".
In northern Harare, rangers also wanted to track and kill at least one leopard, which also is suspected of having a cub.