The country has been hit hard by an increase in illegal poaching. In December last year, the Park Authority had to suspend wildlife hunting licences in an effort to curb the crisis. Caroline Washaya Moyo, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority Public (ZimParks) Relations Manager, said the wildlife authority had managed to tame the rise in illegal poaching, attributing this to training that ZimParks rangers are now getting from the army. According to Washaya Moyo, 2008 was the worst year for illegal poaching. However, from last year, statistics show that there has been a marked decrease.
“There has been a great improvement (in curbing illegal poaching) and this is attributed to security measures that were upped by the authority and these also include the authority’s own investigation branch that works with other law enforcement agents within and outside the country,” Washaya-Moyo said in a statement. “The authority has also worked closely with the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) in ranger training especially in Mabalauta. All the efforts are aimed at curbing wildlife crimes which ultimately would bring the country’s conservation efforts back on track.”
According to statistics provided by the Zimbabwe Conservation TaskForce (ZCTF), the country last year lost 350 rhinos, 20 000 zebras and over 6 000 elephants to rampant poaching activities. Most rhino horns and zebra skins leaving the country are destined for medicinal markets in southeast and east Asia, especially Vietnam, and also China.
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