Online Reporter
Conrad Mupesa-Mashonaland West Bureau
A major shift in attitude towards wildlife conservation is taking root in the Kariba region as villagers increasingly recognise the critical link between protecting animals, sustaining tourism, and securing long-term livelihoods in the Lake Kariba basin.
Residents of Nyamhunga in Kariba urban and surrounding rural communities under Chiefs Msampakaruma, Negande, Nebiri and Mola report that years of awareness campaigns and community engagement are changing perceptions of poaching.
Previously, poaching had escalated due to poverty exacerbated by drought and shrinking income opportunities, as Lake Kariba — a vital source of fishing revenue — faces climate change-induced declines.
Nyamhunga 2 resident, Ms Patricia Banda, said communities were now realising that wildlife formed part of their heritage and future.
She noted that ending poaching was critical to safeguarding both animals and livelihoods dependent on tourism.
Similar sentiments were echoed by another resident, Ms Memory Chitanda, who observed that conservation had tangible economic benefits for the country.
She said protecting wildlife helps boost tourism, create employment, and bring long-term development, unlike poaching, which only offers short-lived gains.
Nyamhunga 1 resident, Mr Lameck Chihozhwa, added that peaceful coexistence with game was the only sustainable option. He stressed that communities needed continuous education on how to live alongside animals and desist from illegal hunting.
Chief Msampakaruma said that while his jurisdiction had introduced punitive measures to deter poaching, villagers were now seeing the importance of wildlife conservation.
“Before, we struggled with villagers poaching wild animals for bush meat. They felt entitled until we explained the dangers. My court used to arraign some of the culprits, who were also taken to magistrates’ courts for trial,” he said.
The changing outlook reflects the impact of sustained conservation initiatives led by the Kariba Animal Welfare Fund Trust (KWAFT), a local organisation that has been combating poaching for bush meat since its establishment in 2010.
KWAFT operates around Lake Kariba, stepping up anti-poaching patrols while simultaneously promoting community development and tourism.
In the past, poaching had intensified as some residents resorted to bush meat hunting, threatening wildlife populations and undermining tourism — a key economic driver for the resort town.
KWAFT executive director, Ms Debbie Ottman, was recently quoted in a local provincial newspaper saying poverty and lack of alternative livelihoods had fuelled poaching, but strong partnerships and community cooperation were beginning to yield results.
She emphasised that conservation efforts were more effective when communities were placed at the centre of development initiatives and decision-making processes.
KWAFT’s Anti-Poaching Unit has since become one of the most active in the area, working closely with ZimParks and other conservation agencies.
The organisation has expanded outreach programmes to educate residents on the value of wildlife and actively involve them in protection efforts.
Thousands of wire snares have been removed through routine patrols, reducing the threat to wildlife.
In 2020 alone, nearly 2 000 snares were recovered, with numbers steadily declining in subsequent years, pointing to reduced poaching pressure.
Kariba District Development Coordinator, Mrs Dzosai Muzvidziwa Chari, said authorities were encouraged by the growing public support for wildlife protection.
“Communities are beginning to view wildlife as a valuable economic asset rather than a resource to be exploited illegally,” she said.
The government has rolled out several measures to curb poaching, including strengthened collaboration between communities, ZimParks, and security agencies, stiffer penalties for wildlife crimes, and intensified awareness campaigns in hotspot areas.
Alternative livelihood programmes such as community tourism projects and conservation-related employment are also being promoted to reduce dependence on bush meat hunting.
ZimParks has further modernised anti-poaching operations through the use of technology, including drone surveillance fitted with infrared sensors and high-resolution cameras.
The system enables rangers to detect poachers and animals over vast distances and deploy response teams more effectively. According to ZimParks, the use of technology has significantly improved poacher detection rates and enhanced operational planning.
Zimbabwe also has a community-based conservation model, which complements the efforts of the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE).
It is being implemented in 58 districts and benefits about 2,4 million people, empowering rural district councils to manage wildlife resources and generate income from safari and photographic tourism.
Communities benefit through employment creation, infrastructure development such as schools and clinics, and meat distribution from legal hunting — incentives that have helped transform residents into custodians of wildlife.
