adminTHE National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has embarked on a survey aimed at collecting information on the population of large animal species in the country, an official has said.
Speaking after a graduation ceremony at Mushandike Wildlife Management College in Masvingo recently, acting National Parks Conservation director Mr Geoffrey Matipano said the department had since started a conducting survey to ascertain the number of elephants and all big mammals in the country.
Mr Matipano said the idea behind carrying out the survey was to come up with the actual number of large animal species, something that is done throughout the continent of Africa.
“We have moved a step further than other African countries in carrying out the surveys. As I speak research work has started in Gonarezhou National Park and Zambezi Valley. A team of ecologists have moved into those areas but it will take some time,” said Mr Matipano.
“We can use ranger-based data system and water hole counts where animals will be counted as they visit water holes. Without carrying out the survey it is difficult to give animal population estimates but index of abundance.”
Mr Matipano said the survey came in the wake of the suspension of the exportation of elephant trophies.
“While the survey is ordinarily done after a given period, we were not able to carry out the exercise due to unavailability of resources.
A partner had to intervene and it is the one sponsoring the whole exercise. The need for the survey, this time around, is motivated by the fact that our traditional ivory and elephant trophies partners have since suspended importations from Zimbabwe. They have cited lack of relevant information pertaining to the population size of elephants and other large mammals,” he said.
The United States, European Union and other blocs have since stopped trading in trophies with Zimbabwe and this applies for all hunted elephants in 2014.
“However, the trophies for 2013 are still accepted and we hope once we provide them with necessary information trade will resume. Zimbabwe and Tanzania are the only countries affected by the suspension,” he said.
Online Reporter