Tragic Incident in Namibia: Over 80 Buffaloes Drown While Fleeing Lions

Fri Dec 05 2025 17:05:20 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A herd of buffaloes tragically drowned in Namibia's Chobe River after being chased by lions, highlighting the dangers wildlife face in their natural habitat.

In an alarming incident, more than 80 buffaloes have drowned in Namibia while attempting to escape lions from the nearby Chobe National Park in Botswana. This tragic event occurred when the scared buffaloes fell off a cliff into the river. The incident underscores recurring dangers for wildlife in the region, as hundreds of buffaloes have drowned under similar circumstances in the past.

More than 80 buffaloes have been killed after they trampled over each other and drowned in a river, Namibia's environment and tourism department has reported.

The buffaloes were fleeing lions in neighboring Botswana when they fell from a deep cliff into the Chobe River on the Namibian side of the border, the department added in a statement.

This incident is reminiscent of past tragedies in the area, where hundreds of buffaloes have met similar fates. In a notable case in 2018, around 400 buffaloes perished under similar conditions while trying to escape into the river.

An official from Namibia's Kabulabula Conservancy confirmed to the BBC that the herd was fleeing from lions. Whenever they are chased by lions, they try to cross over into Namibia and start trampling over each other, explained Mbeha Tadeus from the conservancy.

According to Ndeshipanda Hamunyela, spokesperson for the Namibian Environment, Forestry and Tourism Ministry, the buffaloes originated from Botswana, although she could not specify whether they came from Chobe National Park.

Hamunyela also mentioned that the meat from the carcasses would be distributed to local communities in the area. Reports indicate that residents were seen dividing the meat near the riverbanks.

The incident reportedly occurred around 05:00 local time (07:00 GMT), with local news media putting the estimated number of buffaloes killed at around 90.