Lion chase triggers stampede that kills 90 buffaloes in Namibia’s Zambezi region
Footage shared on social media by the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation showed about a dozen men with axes butchering the carcasses and loading the meat onto pickup trucks.
At least 90 buffaloes died in a stampede on Tuesday morning in Namibia’s far east after being chased by lions, wildlife officials said.
The incident occurred around 5:00 a.m. (0300 GMT) along the Chobe River in the Zambezi conservation area, a wildlife-rich region of waterfalls and forests bordering Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
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According to Ndeshipanda Hamunyela, a spokesperson for Namibia’s tourism ministry, the lions had driven the buffaloes from neighbouring Botswana, forcing them over a cliff into the river.
"It is an unfortunate incident. The animals fell from a deep cliff down into the river, and some tumbled over each other," Hamunyela told AFP.
Footage shared on social media by the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation showed about a dozen men with axes butchering the carcasses and loading the meat onto pickup trucks.
Mass drownings
Mass drownings of buffalo have been recorded before along the Chobe River, particularly during the dry season when herds gather to drink.
In November 2018, more than 400 buffaloes drowned in northern Botswana after being chased by lions, while in October 2023, over 100 animals died in similar circumstances.
Authorities said in both cases the scale of the deaths posed major challenges for river health and clean-up operations. Conservationists have also warned that decaying carcasses can pollute water sources and attract predators closer to human settlements.
Namibia, a semi-desert country, relies heavily on wildlife tourism, which contributes about seven per cent of its GDP.
Tourism figures for August 2025 showed the sector’s strongest performance in years, with nearly 68 per cent of hotel and lodge rooms occupied nationwide.
This marked the highest monthly rate since before the COVID-19 pandemic and was well above the 60 per cent recorded in the same month last year.
Analysts say the rebound highlights the resilience of Namibia’s tourism sector, which expects even higher arrivals this month—traditionally the busiest of the year.
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