Chronicle Editor
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
ONE of the country’s biggest wildlife conservation partners, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has commended Government for its spirited efforts in wildlife conservation and allowing the private sector and other conservation agencies to contribute to the protection as well as safeguarding the country’s rich wildlife heritage.
The sentiments come as the country is set to join the rest of the world in commemorating the World Ranger Day tomorrow at the backdrop of flourishing wildlife conservation efforts that have seen improvements in the welfare of rangers country wide.
World Ranger Day is commemorated annually on 31 July and tomorrow’s commemorations will be held under the theme “30 by 30”.
Responding to questions from Sunday News, IFAW Country Director for Zimbabwe Mrs Alleta Nyahuye said Zimbabwe was arguably one of the most important countries for species richness in Southern Africa and was host to nearly 180 mammal species that, include the critically endangered black and near-threatened white rhinoceros. She said Government’s efforts in wildlife conservation would continue to inspire more support from their organisation.
“We are pleased by the Zimbabwean Government’s thrust in allowing the private sector and other conservation agencies to contribute to the protection and safeguarding of the country’s rich wildlife heritage. On our part, we look forward to growing the conservation partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe and contributing to the realisation of the country’s broader conservation goals,” she said.
Turning to the World Ranger Day set to be commemorated tomorrow, Mrs Nyahuye said IFAW acknowledges the critical role of rangers in safeguarding wildlife, their habitats and leading human-wildlife co-existence initiatives.
She said as such, ranger welfare underpins ongoing collaborative conservation efforts, with over 180 park and forest rangers benefiting financially and technically from IFAW support in the Hwange- Matetsi- Zambezi landscape.
“Since the signing of the value-driven conservation partnership with ZimParks in 2019, IFAW continues to invest in anti-poaching initiatives and improving ranger welfare through the provision of critical equipment, including patrol vehicles, field rations, and camping kits. We also support ranger training programmes to ensure that wildlife rangers are exposed to the latest technologies, information and skills for them to effectively combat wildlife crime.
“Construction of the US$500k Makona modern ranger base in the southern part of the Hwange National Park is a clear demonstration of our long-term commitment to protecting Zimbabwe’s wildlife heritage, incentivising and boosting the morale of those tasked with protecting the giant national park. We are pleased that Hwange National Park has recorded zero poaching incidents of elephants since 2020, thanks to the ZimParks-IFAW partnership’s ongoing conservation efforts, underlined by strengthening law enforcement and enhancing park management,” she said.
She said the recent signing of the historic US$50 million, 25-year agreement with ZimParks was a testament to their long-term commitment to supporting wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe.
“IFAW will continue to play an important role in protecting Hwange National Park by continuously investing in park infrastructure, strengthening of law enforcement, and, most importantly, capacitating wildlife rangers who are the first line of defence against poaching and other forms of wildlife crime,” she said.
Zimparks public relations manager Mr Tinashe Farawo described the days as very important in their calendar as it offered a chance to reflect on the vital work which ranges from conservation of wildlife, protection of biodiversity and the natural ecosystem.
“The day is an opportunity to pay tribute to our rangers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. These are indeed our conservation heroes who put their lives on the line in defence of our most treasured asset — wildlife,” said Mr Farawo.
World Ranger Day provides an opportunity to celebrate and show gratitude to the brave men and women who, on a daily basis, put everything on the line to protect vulnerable wildlife from ruthless poachers.- @nyeve14
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