Torchy recovering after Hyena attack
AAA partner group, Tikobane Trust has sent through an update of their work in September:
"In the month of September our team has been working hard with the weekly donkey clinics. 76 donkeys were attended to, de-wormed and treated for harness wounds and/or wild animal attack wounds. 22 home stands were visited while treating donkeys and educating their owners and handlers on animal welfare. The result of the improved harnesses we are manufacturing and distributing to the communities are starting to show: healed wounds and no new wounds are seen in most donkeys that wear the new improved harness. We have so far distributed 37 pairs of improved harnesses.
Against all odds the donkey Torchy, who was seriously attacked by hyenas a month a ago is slowly recovering. At the time of the attack, the owners and many others thought Torchy should be put down and sold for lion food or used as bait when darting omnivores. We stood our ground for Torchy and visit him twice a week to dress and attend to the wound. Now Torchy is slowly recovering and the wound is closing up.
With the lack of rain we experienced during the 2018/2019 farming season, working animals are struggling to get water. The rivers around most villages are dry and the few boreholes have to supply both humans and working animals with priority given to humans and cattle. As a result, donkeys have to go for days for water. Other people resort to sneaking into the national park where wild animals drink. This causes lions and hyenas to follow the tracks of animals at night causing attacks on mostly donkeys who are easy prey. Our wish is to have a solar powered borehole at our sanctuary that will ease water shortage especially for donkeys.
Most donkey pens in the area are also a cause of concern, they are made of wood logs and thorns however these pens are not so strong and are not helpful during lion and hyena attacks. Our team is working to design innovative, strong pens that will protect working animals using local materials."
