Management Services
This is a section that falls under Conservation.It mainly deals with the conservation of wildlife, anti-poaching, hunting, permits and licenses, Problem Animal Control (PAC), and radio communications.
PROBLEM ANIMAL CONTROL
The Problem Animal Control Unit deals with problem animals such as snakes (venomous and non-venomous), hippos, crocodiles, etc. Pythons are non venomous therefore they can be caught by hand by two people.
After the Python is caught it is not killed because it is an endangered species. Instead, it is disposed into its natural habitat where the area is protected e.g. Lake Chivero Recreational Park or Darwendale Recreational Park. However, venomous snakes such as Cobras and Black mambas are killed using shotguns and burnt or buried.
Crocodiles are captured using crocodile cages and then disposed into lakes or dams such as Lake Kariba.
ANTI-POACHING
Poaching is the illegal taking of animals and wild plants contrary to local and international Wildlife Management Laws.
Anti-Poaching involves Law Enforcement pertaining wildlife in Parks Estates, communal lands and within the country. An example of such a law is Section 59, Subsection 2A of the Parks and Wildlife Act Chapter 20:14, which states that NO PERSON SHALL HUNT ANY ANIMAL ON ANY LAND, EXCEPT IN TERMS OF A PERMIT ISSUED.
ANTI-POACHING TACTICS
ANTI-POACHING EFFORTS
Patrols have increased within potential areas.
Surveillance Systems have been established i.e. Intelligence Gathering.
Inset from Zimpapers.
THE Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority last week shot dead a hippopotamus that was damaging winter wheat in Nyanyadzi. The hippo, which had a calf, is believed to have escaped from Save Conservancy. ZPWMA ordered the shooting of the hippos after traditional leaders in the area reported that it was damaging crops and endangering lives. ZPWMA officer, Mr John Danfa, said they were still hunting for the calf which is believed to have found habitat along Save River. “Usually hippos move up and down rivers during the rainy season. We believe the two escaped from Save Valley Conservancy. They were both females and they do not usually click if there is no male.
“They are believed to have separated. We received reports from traditional leaders in Hot Springs and Nyanyadzi that these hippos were feeding on wheat and crops in their fields.” “People’s lives were endangered so the authorities ordered its killing. The first time we attempted to kill it, it was in the company of so many cattle and could not do anything.
Our officer teamed up with villagers to track it until last week when it was shot down in Nyanyadzi”. The officer is said to have fired 12 shots before the hippo died. The meat was shared by villagers. One of the villagers in Dirikwe village, Mr Tapiwa Munyati, said: “This hippo was becoming a threat to human lives in the area. It was being spotted near homes at night.
“There are vegetable gardens along one of Save River’s tributaries where it was being spotted.“We were told that hippos do not like light and the danger was that lives would have been lost.” “A villager survived death by a whisker recently when the hippo strayed into his homestead.“He went out of his house to investigate when his dogs were barking. He had a torch and the hippo advanced towards him. “Fortunately he managed to escape the attack and notified other villagers and the village head. We are appealing to the responsible authorities to make sure that the remaining one is also killed,” said Mr Munyati.
