Elephant disrupts RN1 road and overturns corn truck in Burkina Faso

Written by: Mohammed Omran

 National Route 1, linking Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, witnessed... Burkina FasoLast Thursday, an unusual scene unfolded when a lone elephant blocked traffic and then overturned a truck loaded with corn to eat its cargo, according to eyewitnesses.

He left a nature reserve and caused traffic disruption.

The incident occurred in broad daylight between the towns of Baburu and Buruma, with no casualties reported.

The animal suddenly emerged from the Dos Bali forest, a nature reserve adjacent to the road. An eyewitness named Abdullah Bakayoko told AIB news agency:

Elephant disrupts RN1 road and overturns corn truck in Burkina Faso

The elephant was in the middle of the road, dominating all the vehicles, and the passengers were torn between curiosity to see it up close and fear of its attack.

After disrupting traffic for several minutes as it moved between cars, the elephant headed towards a truck loaded with grain. The witness added, "Easily and without any apparent effort, it overturned the truck on the side of the road and then began eating.".

Then the animal calmly settled down on the side of the road to continue eating its meal, unconcerned by the crowd around it.

Reports indicate that such encounters between wildlife and road users are increasing in the region, with herds of elephants frequently spotted along the RN1 national road, particularly near the new Heridogo Bridge.

Local authorities and road safety associations urged drivers to exercise extreme caution and reduce speed near forested areas to avoid accidents.

Burkina Faso is home to one of the largest elephant populations in West Africa, but the decline of natural habitats due to human pressure is pushing these animals closer to roads and agricultural areas.

It is worth noting that elephants are a legally protected species. With the increasing number of such incidents between wildlife and road users in several areas of West Africa, calls are renewed to strengthen traffic safety measures near forested areas and to take more effective measures to limit the approach of animals to main roads, in order to ensure the protection of lives and the preservation of biodiversity at the same time.