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| Location: |
Africa - Southern Africa - Zimbabwe |
| Subject: |
Distribution - Poaching |
| Species: |
African Rhino Species |
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Poaching in Zimbabwe update. Since the last report in Pachyderm (No.5) on rhino poaching in the Zambezi Valley, there have been continued incursions of Zambian poachers into the Zimbabwean side of the valley, and some successes in the struggle to contain their activities. During 1985, a total of 71 rhino, and 23 elephant, were known to have been killed by well-armed gangs crossing the Zambezi.
Two poachers were shot by Zimbabwean patrols during the year, and eight captured; three of the major poachers in one gang were convicted of killing six rhino and were each sentenced to 11 years in jail, plus being collectively required to pay Z$30 000 in compensation for the rhino that they had killed.
During 1985, the Zimbabwean Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism announced its intention of recruiting an additional 500 game scouts, of which the first 1 00 (who are ex-combatants) have now been trained and deployed. Conservation bodies within Zimbabwe launched a fund-raisingcampaign, and in December equipment worth Z$27 000 was handed to the Department of National Parks and Wild Life Management to assist in the anti-poaching campaign. SAVE, of the United States, have arranged recent donations of radio equipment worth over US$22 000; an aircraft previously presented to the Zimbabwean wildlife authorities by this organisation is also playing a vital role in the campaign.
Once the rainy season commenced in the Zambezi valley, thcpoachers took advantage of the lack of safari hunters and tourists, anc the denser vegetation cover, to cross into Zimbabwe frequently along a 450 km front extending from the Luangwa/Zambezi confluence in the east to wildlife areas bordering Lake Kariba in the west. In the first two months of 1986, they are known to have killed at least six rhino and an elephant. However, they have suffered heavy losses, with nine poachers being killed and four being arrested in a series of engagement- during this period. The gangs are operating in numbers of 2-4 equipped with both .375 hunting rifles (of recent manufacture) anc AK47 automatic assault rifles, the latter being carried for use against the Zimbabwean patrols. Since early 1 985,12 hunting rifles have been captured from the poachers.
Since these poachers were all Zambian citizens, there have been diplomatic repercussions, with strong condemnation in the Zambian Parliament for what is regarded as excessive reaction by the Zimbabwean anti-poaching forces. However, President Kaunda of Zambia has stated that he cannot criticize the Zimbabwean Government, ?since poaching, whether committed in Zambia or elsewhere, is wrong'. The Zimbabwean media have given maximum publicity to the events, with a firm anti-poaching stance.
The Zimbabwean Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Mrs Victoria Chitepo, has stated that the rhino poaching will be resisted tc the fullest extent. In November, 1985, she introduced a new clause ir the Parks and Wild Life Amendment Bill, specifying mandatory sentences of five years in jail or a fine of Z$1 5 000 for first offenders convicted of killing rhino and other protected animals, and seven years or Z$35 000 for second offenders.
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Rhino poaching in Zimbabwe
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