- The poor animals... will be wiped out by these people.
The cruelty shown to these magnificent animals defies imagination. - Jan
Note - As one correspondent noted, the only thing that might save much
of African wildlife from extinction at the hands of these alleged human
beings is AIDS.
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- Hundreds of wild elephants are the latest refugees from
violence and disorder in Robert Mugabe's crisis-torn Zimbabwe. The animals
are fleeing the country by wading across the Zambezi river to escape being
shot or trapped by so-called "war veterans" and illegal hunters.
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- Game wardens in Zambia say record numbers of elephants
are crossing the Zambezi, which forms the border between the two countries,
to avoid being poached by armed gangs in Zimbabwe.
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- "Elephants are quite intelligent and can communicate.
They know they are safer on this side of the river," said one game
warden.
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- The exodus is an indication of the devastation facing
wildlife in Zimbabwe, where animals are said to be at risk of indiscriminate
slaughter in reserves and former privately owned game parks.
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- With the breakdown of law and order, animals of all kinds
are reportedly being poached on a massive scale for ivory and even for
food.
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- At Mosi-o-Tunya National Park, on the Zambian side of
the Zambezi river near Victoria Falls, elephants are crossing the river
daily. Wildlife experts say the movement is much larger than the normal
seasonal emigration and is causing a serious problem for Zambian authorities.
There are so many elephants trapped in a small area that serious damage
is being caused to the environment.
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- About 200 elephants are thought to be living in the small
national park, close to the city of Livingstone, an area more used to a
population of about 50. The elephants are stripping the bush of foliage
and knocking down trees, and there are conflicts between the wild elephants
and farmers. Elephants killed two local villagers in the park this year.
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- Marianthy Noble, Zambia representative of the United
Kingdom-based David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, said: "Lawlessness
in Zimbabwe is definitely a factor in driving more elephants into Zambia
and causing a problem here. If an elephant is shot, others will leave the
area for safety. Elephants can communicate over up to seven miles [11,2km]
-- and they never forget.
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- "Until recently Zimbabwe had an excellent record
for wildlife conservation and some of the best game parks in the world.
But with land redistribution, some of the best game parks have been settled
or invaded by people with no experience of wildlife management at all.
Game is being systematically wiped out by local people shooting and setting
snares. It's lawlessness."
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- According to reports, game hunters from South Africa
are taking advantage of the breakdown in law and order to buy hunting licences
in the former conservancies, allowing them to shoot anything that moves.
In other cases, villagers are reported to be killing wildlife "for
fun".
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- Zimbabweans living on the Zambia side of the border are
cagey about discussing wildlife in Zimbabwe for fear of repercussions for
relatives and business associates still inside the country. However, Andy,
a white Zimbabwean working for a Zambia safari lodge, said: "Everybody
knows there is illegal hunting in Zimbabwe on a massive scale. Wildlife
is being wiped out. That is why the elephants are coming across.
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- "In some areas, there are so many snares set that
animals caught in them are just being left to rot. National parks are issuing
illegal hunting licences without knowing how much game there is."
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- Another safari lodge employee near Victoria Falls said:
"There are certainly more elephants arriving. From time to time, we
have heard shooting at night from the Zimbabwe side. There is only one
explanation -- poaching."
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- The head of the Zambian Wildlife Authority (Zawa), Hapenga
Kabeta, said he has been assured that Zimbabwean wildlife authorities are
implementing "appropriate wildlife management" and providing
good leadership in conservation issues. He blamed the exodus on drought
and overpopulation.
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- He said reports on the internet that up to 80% of Zimbabwe's
wild elephants have been slaughtered are without foundation. However, he
acknowledged there may be a problem on Zimbabwe's private game parks, where
land redistribution means new owners "may not have the skills"
and wildlife could be at risk.
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- Experts acknowledge that the influx of elephants into
the tiny Mosi-o-Tunya park presents a problem for Zambian authorities.
The park is hemmed in by houses and farms and smallholders have blamed
the elephants for damage to fruit trees and property.
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- Simasiku Pumulo, who farms 200 hectares of maize, millet,
vegetables and fruit in the Sinde cooperative on the edge of Livingstone,
said wild elephants regularly visited his land to eat what they could find.
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- "Sometimes they come at night and break down the
trees just across from the front door. It is terrifying, you cannot go
out," he said.
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- "The elephants destroy the maize and dig up vegetables
... If you plant five acres of maize, the elephants usually eat four of
them. To put so much work into growing food for the elephants is very annoying
-- I believe they should be culled."
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- Park authorities are considering how to solve the problem
without resorting to a cull, which would be unpopular with wildlife experts
and tourists. Under present Zambian law, elephants cannot be shot -- although
the government will reintroduce hunting next year.
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- One possible solution is to open up an elephant "corridor"
to encourage the animals to migrate almost 200km north to a larger national
park at Kafue, where elephants are in short supply. -- Guardian Unlimited
© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003
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- http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=29058
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