ZimParks and stakeholders unite to address human-wildlife conflict

THE Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has mobilised conservation stakeholders to collectively discuss possible ways of collaborating on management of environment and preventing human wildlife conflict.

The stakeholders meeting was held at a local hotel in Victoria Falls yesterday and targeted organisations operating within the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (Kaza-TFCA).

The Kaza-TFCA is the largest Transfrontier in the world and covers conservation areas in Angola, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Some of the stakeholders are Children in the Wilderness, Africa in the Wilderness, Painted Dog Conservation Trust, Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Trust, We are Victoria Falls Initiative, Bhejane Trust, Friends of Hwange Trust, Wild is Life, Connected Conservation, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Cheetah Zimbabwe, More Community Foundation, World Wide Fund and Stanley and Livingstone.

Government departments such as the Forestry Commission, Environmental Management Agency, Immigration Department, the Zimbabwe National Army, Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services are also involved.

Victoria Falls City Council and Hwange Rural District Council were also in attendance as they administer human wildlife conflict-torn communities.

Welcoming delegates, Hwange District Development Co-ordinator, Mr Simon Muleya said the synergies initiatives brought by Kaza-TFCA were welcome.

“We thank the organisers of the event, which seeks to provide an environment for deliberations. Hwange is proud to have this endeavour to fulfil our mandate of protecting wildlife for betterment of our people,” he said.

Human-wildlife conflict incidents are prevalent in areas around Hwange National Park and Binga, which are within the Kaza-TFCA region hence the need for collaboration.

Growing human and wildlife population, encroachment into wildlife areas, poor animal husbandry practices and climate change effects are some of the major causes of conflict.

ZimParks director general, Dr Fulton Mangwanya, said collaboration is the best way to address conflict. Individual organisations have initiated different mitigation strategies in communities and some of them have been successful.

They all stated the importance of community engagement.

During discussions, participants called for respect for traditional beliefs and indigenous knowledge systems in wildlife and environment Conservation.

Some said there was a need to have balance between conservation and community needs for communities to see value in natural resources.

—@ncubeleon