Authorities in Mundri East County of Western Equatoria State (WES) are calling on the state and national governments to deploy game guards to protect animals in the area.

The commissioner of Mundri East County, Margret Fozia Emmanuel, told The City Review that on Friday last week, two elephants appeared at the county headquarters, raising alarms over the safety of the animals and frightening residents.

“Yes, it was not the first time for the elephants to enter here, but I think I reported about it a few months ago when more than 50 of them (elephants) were moving from Kediba (Mundri East County),” she revealed.

However, the commissioner said what scared the locals the most was that this time the elephants had encroached on the human residences.

She said although the elephants are not causing any havoc, there is a need for the game rangers to monitor their movements to protect them.

“We have been telling communities, even the [SPLA] soldiers, not to kill them, but instead let them be protected.

“We fear that some people may not listen… As such, we need the rangers to protect and return wild animals [to their habitat],” she said.

She said that as a commissioner, she was tasked with securing the animals. Hence, she needed the assistance of the rangers to ensure the animals were unhurt.

She said the wildlife ministry has a great role in protecting wild animals both from killing and destroying crops.

In September this year, authorities in Mundri East County reported the arrival of elephants and rhinos in the area.

“Yes, people in the area have seen more than 50 elephants and about four Rhinos, our people are watching their movement, and we instructed people not to kill them, and whoever got doing that will be penalized according to wildlife act.”

Cases of human-wildlife conflict have risen in the past few months in South Sudan. Recently in Unity State, residents raised complaints that snakes and tigers were invading their homes and they feared for their lives.