adminTinashe Farawo Correspondent
ZIMPARKS deputy director-general Geoffreys Matipano might have summed up the plight of rangers when he spoke at the funeral of one of the two rangers who were found dead in Kariba recently.
Chidumo Mabarani and Timothy Tembo were killed on duty by suspected Zambian nationals on December 31, 2019 and were both buried on January 11, 2020.
Tembo was buried at Kariba Town Cemetery, while Mabarani was laid to rest at his rural home in Gokwe.
It was a sombre atmosphere at Tembo’s funeral where the Zimparks deputy director-general gave a moving eulogy for the departed rangers.
“This is a very unfortunate incident and as Parks we are very much concerned with our people’s safety,” Mr Matipano told the mourners. “These are our workers, these are our rangers who were on duty. This is a national duty, protecting the natural resources including wildlife and fish.”
The loss of the two heroes of conservation was not only to the Mabarani and Tembo families, but to the nation at large.
Rangers working with local communities are the first line of national security and protectors of our natural national wildlife heritage.
Tembo and Mabarani were reported missing while transporting accused Zambian poachers from Matusadona to ZRP Kariba on New Year’s Eve.
The boat they were using was found destroyed on the Zambian side a few days later.
Tembo’s body was retrieved on January 5, while Mabarani’s remains were recovered the following day.
Zimbabwe is working with Zambia to make sure that perpetrators of the barbaric act are brought to book.
The duo’s sad case is a tip of the iceberg and a clear illustration of the dangers associated with being a ranger, not only in Zimbabwe, but globally.
Over 25 incidences of rangers attacked by wild animals or poachers have been recorded since 2006.
Five deaths have been recorded during the period under review, with three coming in the last three months.
Herbert Chimeramombe was bitten to death by a snake while on duty in the Nyamaneche area in 2006, before Kedha Nkoka was attacked and killed by a buffalo while on patrol in Sengwe the following year.
Madubeko Ngwenya drowned in 2016 when a canoe he was using was struck by a hippo and capsized in the mighty Kariba Dam in Matusadona.
The buffalo has been one of the most dangerous animals for rangers as five incidences involving the animal have been recorded in the last 15 years.
There were two incidents involving a buffalo and rangers in 2017.
Alphonce Mupuwa was attacked and injured by a male buffalo while on extended patrol in Chirisa on December 17, 2017.
He sustained injuries on both legs, chest and stomach.
Matetsi Safari Area had its own incident when Wisdom Ndlovu was wounded on the thigh by a buffalo during a veld fire fighting exercise.
Rudolph Nyamanzi of Matusadona and Runesu Magomba in Chizarira were also attacked by buffaloes last year.
Nyamanzi was attacked by a buffalo that had been incensed by poachers’ dogs and sustained injuries.
Magomba was attacked and injured by a male buffalo while on extended patrol in the Nyangani area in Chizarira National Park.
The life of a ranger is sometimes horrendous and Zimbabwe cannot talk of its wildlife conservation success story without mentioning these gallant men and women.
History has proved that arresting poachers is one of the most dangerous engagements for Zimparks’ rangers.
Robert Majirapanze was bitten on the arm by a fish poacher, while effecting an arrest at Osborne Dam on July 19, 2019.
Richard Katumba and Ostern Tengawarima were attacked by fish poachers and only escaped after shooting one of the poachers on the leg at Biri Dam on November 5, 2018.
A decade ago, Tinoziva Mudavanhu was attacked by four fish poachers after arresting them in Mid Zambezi.
Rangers have also been involved in near fatal fights with illegal panners with one incident being recorded in Chimanimani in 2019.
William Kamanga was attacked by machete wielding gold panners on the head and sustained serious injuries.
From 2016, the authority has recorded nearly 100 armed contacts with suspected poachers in protected areas, 500 rounds of ammunitions and 90 rifles were recovered during patrols.
Whilst rangers spend 21 days on extended patrol in protection of the country’s most priced asset, it is important to spare a thought for the gallant sons and daughters of the country who put their lives on the line, risked limb and life to look after our elephants.
There is global recognition that the country’s elephants are not threatened with extinction and without doubt, they are safe.
It is important that these men and women who have done so well to protect our wildlife are capacitated and well resourced.
It is not a secret that the biggest threat to the survival of our wildlife is loss of habitat, which is mainly caused by the overpopulation of animals and poaching, although the latter is being fought by these dedicated men and women.
The climate change-induced drought is also not helping matters as temperatures have been rising more than double the global average in southern Africa.
Over the last few years, these men and women have managed to reduce poaching of key species such as elephant and rhino by more than 80 percent in 5 years.
It is an indisputable fact that rangers are the first line of defence for our wildlife.
Of course, from a distance many think that the life of a ranger is filled with wonderful wildlife encounters but for those on the ground, it is dangerous because these animals have attacked many.
As we are writing, a ranger in Hwange is battling for his life after he was attacked by a crocodile and there are many near death encounters with lions, elephants, buffaloes, snakes and of course not mentioning dangerously armed poachers.
Apart from all these problems, most of the protected areas are in Region 5, where there are extreme weather conditions and not mentioning tsetse flies, among other challenges.
As tourists flock into the country, to view the country’s rich wildlife, it is important to spare a thought for the men and women who are protecting these animals from poachers.
Tinashe Farawo is the head of communications at Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. He can be contacted on [email protected]
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