Vusumuzi DubeFairness Moyana and Judith Phiri recently in Mabale
COMMUNITIES in Mabale and surrounding areas in Hwange district who share borders with the Hwange National Park have begun to form community anti-poaching units as part of efforts to protect their livestock as well as wildlife from wire snares set by poachers.
The initiative which begun in Mabale village in 2015 with only a handful of community volunteers has since grew in number to more than 250 members and spread to other areas as villagers bear testimony of reduction in livestock and wildlife caught in wire snares.
For the past three years, Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) has worked with these community volunteers by training and equipping them with resources to carry out their duties.
More women have also joined the community anti-poaching teams breaking the long-held notion that it’s a man’s work.
Speaking during 2022 Community Anti-poaching Volunteers launch at Chief Nelukoba’s homestead in Mabale on Thursday, villagers said the increase in cases of livestock caught in wire snares set by poachers to catch game had caused them to take action.
“We took it upon ourselves to undertake this kind of initiative after we continued to experience livestock losses due to wire snares set by poachers intending to kill wild animals. So, we formed this group in 2015 and it has grown to be what it is today also thanks to support we have been receiving from PDC.
“We carry out local patrol as well as outside the villages in the park where we remove wire snares placed by poachers which end up injuring or killing both our livestock and wild animals. This initiative has helped in lowering the incidents of livestock or wildlife caught by the snares,” said Mr Caiaphas Zulu, one of the volunteers from Mabale.
Another villager from Nabushome village, Mrs Judith Ndebele said she become part of her areas’ initiative which boasts of 41 members comprising of 31 women and 11 men after losing a number of her livestock.
“These wires snares were really costing us as villagers to a point where I made a decision to be part of the team after I lost livestock to poachers. We have managed to reduce cases of livestock being maimed or killed by these snares.”
Since 2015 the units have removed 18 969 wire snares.
PDC Community Programmes and Education manager, Mr Wilton Nsimango commended the community efforts in fighting poaching arguing that they were engaging 45 volunteers for a 6 months program.
“The community here through this action have shown that they are ahead of the curve, we have no doubt that with their participation a lot of wildlife and indeed domestic animals have been saved from snares.
“As you are here today, we have engaged 45 members for a 6 months program as we add boots on the ground going into the winter season. Poaching usually peaks during this time due to increased visibility in the bush and reduced availability of water for wildlife as natural pans dry up,” said Mr Nsimango.
He appealed to the corporate world for supporting in fighting poaching arguing that financing for operations was crucial.
“Anti-poaching work requires food rations, vehicles and equipment any support to these members to continue this work is most welcomed especially from cooperate Zimbabwe. This community anti-poaching initiative requires everyone’s support. We are grateful that Painted Dogs are now specially protected animals under SI 71 of 2020.”
There are less than 700 Painted Dogs roaming the wilderness of Zimbabwe and poaching continues to be a major threat to their existence.
Online Reporter