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Yeukai Karengezeka recently in Chiredzi
Collaboration between Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and rural communities living near game reserves has helped immensely in reducing human-wild life conflicts
Zimbabwe last week joined the rest of the world to celebrate World Wild Life Day which was ran under the theme Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation .
The Nyangombe Community Conservancy in Chiredzi recently celebrated the day with an inaugural graduation ceremony of 10 game rangers who live in that community after they successfully received six months of intensive training to curb poaching.
ZimParks director general Dr Fulton Mangwaya who was represented by Mr Douglas Kuramba said the training of the locals would go a long way in dealing with poachers that invade the game areas.
“Today we are all here to witness Nyangambe Community’s conservation efforts through training in an effort to equip their rangers with the necessary skills and tactics aimed at reducing poaching which has seen the use of sophisticated ways of illegal harvesting and trafficking of wildlife products posing a threat to the viability of wildlife populations,” he said.
Conservation efforts had been affected by poaching for both subsistence and commercial gains where most of the culprits have gone to the extent of using rifles, poison such as cyanide; immobilising tranquilisers, fire, prohibited fishing gear, snares,and dogs to illegally hunt animals.
Dr Mangwaya said the new development would not only emancipate locals through employment, but will also help combat the illegal wildlife trade, thereby increasing economic benefits to the community.
The training of the game rangers was facilitated by Hammond Ranch, of Save Valley in partnership with the USAID-funded Resilience ANCHORS activity.
“I reaffirm USAID’s ongoing support and commitment to increase the capacity of communities to sustainably protect and manage community-based natural resources and the wildlife economy, said USAID Acting Mission Director, Ramses Gauthier.
He said poaching and illegal wildlife trade were threatening the country’s tourism industry and the livelihoods and security of rural communities.
Mr Gauthier challenged the Savé Valley Conservancy and ZimParks to provide the Nyangambe Community scouts with ongoing support, training, and mentorship for them to realise their full potential as an effective anti-poaching unit.
The Resilience ANCHORS activity seeks to increase the ability of communities to sustainably protect and manage community-based natural resources and the wildlife economy, in anticipation of future shocks and stresses through a range of strategic interventions.
The project currently supports communities bordering Savé Valley Conservancy in Chiredzi and Bikita districts, Gonarezhou National Park, and the Mid-Zambezi Valley, in Hwange and Binga districts.
Online Reporter