North East Region: Two stray elephants killed by residents of Tuna

Some residents of the Tuna in the Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri district of the North East Region have killed two stray elephants after the animals escaped from the forest reserve.

So far, five stray elephants have been killed in the North East Region from 2021 to 2024; one in West Mamprusi (Mishio), two in East Mamprusi (Yankezia), and two in Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri district (Tuna).

According to Joseph Binlinla, the Upper East Regional Wildlife manager, residents cut and took away the meat of the animals before the wildlife officials arrived at the scene.

According to Binlinla, the two elephants were killed on Monday (6 May); two pairs of the tusks were retrieved and the police have begun an investigation to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

“Investigations are underway. We managed to retrieve the most important part of the elephant, which is the pair of tusks and so we have the police notified. They will have to carry on the investigations and then see what arrest we can make because it is criminal to kill an elephant in this country,” he said.

Joseph Binlinla added, “When we got there, we identified two spots where those animals were regretfully gunned down. We didn’t see any part of it. Every piece of meat, every piece of bone, every piece of the tusk was already taken.”

He further stressed that the wildlife department’s management will conduct a sensitization exercise across the Northeast region to educate residents about the incessant killing of elephants and other big wild animals in the region.