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WILDLIFE conservationists want Government to get much tougher with poachers, as a means to curbing the escalation of illegal killings of endangered animal species, particularly the rhino and elephant – two key tourism draw cards. The calls are back grounded by the killing of four rhinos so far this year in the low veldt, and the release on bail of suspected poachers accused of slaughtering five elephants through cyanide poisoning at the Zambezi National Park two months ago.
Rhino killings for this year are, however, 76 percent below those for the whole of 2013 when 17 animals were poached. Six died of natural causes.
Memories of the “murder” by cyanide poisoning of over 100 elephants at the Hwange National Park late last year are still fresh, dealing a blow to efforts of protecting animals faced with extinction.
And even when the Hwange killers were jailed for decades, conservationists want the courts to do more and stop freeing suspects on weak bail.
Now, as the world marked the Rhino Day on September 22, Zimbabwe’s rhino ambassador, Charlene Hewat called on Environment, Water and Climate and Minister Saviour Kasukuwere to step up the “protection of our wildlife and wildlife management areas.”
“We urge you (Mr Kasukuwere) to please put law enforcement and conviction of poachers in Zimbabwe as top priority,” pleaded Ms Hewat, a career conservationist famed for her 22 000km ‘Save the Rhino’ global bicycle ride in the late ‘80s.
“The message for poachers and criminal syndicates needs to be loud and clear – zero tolerance for poaching in Zimbabwe.”
There are only about 766 rhino left at conservancies in Zimbabwe. Across the world, under 5 000 of the critically endangered black rhino remain in the wild and just above 20 000 white rhino, according to figures from the International Union for Conservation and Nature.
Poachers shoot dead rhinos before hacking off the horns. The horn is a prized possession in Asia, particularly China and Vietnam.
It is wrongly believed to contain medicinal properties. In Yemen, it is used for ornate dagger handles. A kg of rhino horn is believed to fetch over $60 000 on the black market.
Experts say the loss of species results in biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, diminishing the quality of human lives and basic economic security. By saving species people save biodiversity and the ecosystems that provide the natural resources needed to survive.
Shoot to Kill
In Zimbabwe, wildlife poachers may be shot and killed on site, legally. The extreme punishment could be enforced if things come to a head, as is currently the case. Shooting to kill will be less desirable, however.
“Zimbabwe has a shoot to kill policy,” said Ms Hewat by email last week.
“However, the key to putting a stop to poaching is to make sure that our laws are enforced and that poachers do not get the bail that is the current trend at the present moment.”
If convicted, wildlife poachers can be penalised $120 000 for killing a single rhino or face jail or both, if the magistrate so desires. But, poachers have been getting away with the US$200 bail, in some cases.
Ms Hewat showed disappointment that “poachers are caught and are let off on a very small bail”.
Two elephant poachers have so far this year been shot dead by the Parks and Wildlife Authority at Zambezi National Park in Victoria Falls.
Government says it wants the same thing that conservationists desire – to put away wildlife thieves for very long periods.
It is now aiming and pushing for a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in jail for wildlife offenders, says deputy minister for Environment, Water and Climate, Mr Simon Musanhu.
“We have tightened penalties for poaching, working with the judiciary, so they become deterrent enough,” Mr Musanhu told The Herald Business by telephone on Thursday.
“We are also emphasising on community participation in wildlife conservation. In the past we used to have buffer zones between conservancies and human settlements.
“However, due to the land reforms, the buffer zones have been greatly reduced, and or in some cases boundaries are non-existent.”
The pulling down of such boundaries has escalated conflicts between people and wildlife. This tends to fuel illegal killings of game, as animals encroach into farming lands or those lands reserved for domestic animal grazing.
Mr Musanhu is hoping that through “education and communities benefiting from wildlife conservation proceeds” such incidents would be minimised.
But rhino or elephant killers are more organised, sophisticated criminal syndicates that cannot be stopped by periodic communal income gained from keeping peace with wild animals.
Prison will achieve what the $120 000 penalties have failed to, it is hoped. Mr Musanhu said his Ministry has no control over the release of suspects on weak bail.
“That is up to the police and their investigators. But for those convicted we are gunning for the 15-year minimum sentence,” he said.
Multi-billion dollar business
Although the Parks and Wildlife Authority spokesperson Caroline Washaya Moyo did not respond to questions on what the Authority was doing to curb poaching, wildlife trafficking is now a multi-billion dollar industry.
Worldwide, $10 billion worth of wildlife and wildlife products are traded illegally each year.
The major source markets of illegal ivory in Africa are South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania.
Poaching is also rife in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Uganda and in other African countries in the north and west.
In 2013, over 20 000 African elephants were killed illegally for their ivory, according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
The figure was a decline on 2011 and 2012 poaching levels, but remains unsustainably high.
Legal ivory trade is strongly controlled by the CITES. But over 500kg of ivory meant for the black market were seized before they left the continent last year.
CITES blames the high poaching incidents in Africa to poverty and weak governance structures.
In most African countries, weak funding from central governments has left multi-national donors and private individuals having to dig deeper into their own pockets to combat poaching.
Here, over $750 000 has this year been poured by donors towards rhino and elephant conservation.
The 2014 National Budget transferred twice that much to the Parks and Wildlife Authority, primarily to finance the purchase of vehicles for anti-poaching activities.
That money is barely sufficient in an industry controlled by wealthy, organised and powerful thieves.
“Urgent consideration is required to look at how to consolidate Zimbabwe’s rhino efforts so that a more responsible demographic and genetic management programme can be enhanced,” said Ms Hewat.
God is faithful.
Online Reporter