Zimbabwean News You Can Trust
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZIMPARKS) has introduced patrolling drones on selected game parks to compliment Rangers efforts on anti poaching against highly protected wildlife species like rhinos, elephants, pangolin, lions, among others.
According to Zimparks, 30 pilots have been trained to operate the 10 kilometer radius drones, which can fly for over 3 hours on selected wildlife reserves. Community scouts training is also one of the initiatives Zimparks has implemented on community conservancies to curb poaching.
Addressing journalists during a press briefing on the National Convention on Community Conservancies in Harare Wednesday, Community Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE) coordinator Petros Mwera gave an update on how Zimparks is tightening its security to end poaching.
He said, “Interms of statistics on poaching I don’t have, but we have systems and deployments working in various areas, assisting us with information on how we conserve the environment and wildlife. Recently, we allocated technological monitoring of drones to monitor activities and compliment human security in wildlife.”
Asked about the recent government proposal to sell 200 elephants to raise money food aid as the country faces the El Nino induced drought, Chief Abel Mbasera, who was part of the key speakers, said, “Wildlife growth is not universal, so if the government approves such an order, it would have considered it a positive objective to reduce wildlife, because the growing numbers can sometimes cause problems to the communities.”
Meanwhile, USAID mission director Jenean Davis applauded Zimparks for training community scouts to become rangers, stating that it was a noble initiative for the local community to preserve and benefit from their wildlife.
She added that the United States of America (USA) through USAID was prepared to support Zimbabwe in community conservancies and sustainable natural resource management.
“We believe local communities are best positioned to manage and protect their natural resources, and that they should be the primary beneficiaries of those resources. The United States, through USAID, is committed to supporting these efforts.
“I want to reaffirm that the United States, through USAID, is committed to supporting community conservancies and sustainable natural resources management. Together with our partners, we will continue to empower local communities, conserve biodiversity, and promote economic growth for a more resilient and prosperous Zimbabwe.”
