Poaching a threat to Africa’s wildlife
Obert Siamilandu, Newsday
October 18, 2021
Poaching has been the greatest threat to wildlife and might cause its
extinction in different African countries including Zimbabwe, a wildlife
expert has said.
Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe president Emmanuel Fundira
yesterday said, while game meat production can contribute to economic
growth in the country, there was need to curb poaching activities.
In a survey conducted in eastern Madagascar, it was revealed that 95% of
those interviewed said they had eaten at least one protected species. But
the majority showed a preference for meat from domestic animals, suggesting
that game hunting could be greatly reduced if alternative sources of animal
protein were affordable and available.
Studies have also shown that elsewhere on the continent, people still hunt
wild animals to feed their families, while in other places hunting is done
on a commercial basis.
The study said illegal game hunting was complex and was closely linked to
various factors that differ from place to place.
However, wildlife experts said there was not much research done to look
into illegal game hunting, while there is a lot of research on ivory and
rhino horn poaching.
There is also poaching for elephant tusks, horns or other animal body
parts, which experts say is a threat to African wildlife.
Fundira said conservationists needed to find ways to deal with illegal
hunting activities.
“My view and experience is that game meat production is grossly
underdeveloped. It is an area with great potential and can contribute
significantly to economic growth, including nutritional aspects which are
well-known.
“For example in South Africa, commercial game meat commands an annual value
of R12 billion, with a significant proportion going towards exports,”
Fundira said.
“It is for this reason that we should move away from poaching valuable
assets and instead formalise game meat production for the benefit of the
economy,” he said.
Fundira said in many African countries, there was little or no research
into the illegal game meat trade due to the high cost of research which is
often beyond the means of the already over-stretched wildlife authorities.
He said surveys on parks and wildlife sanctuaries had identified illegal
hunting for game as the key threat to wildlife conservation in African
countries.
“Surveys show that the most worrying indicator is that large-bodied mammals
are now well below their expected numbers.”
In Zimbabwe, some of the endangered species facing extinction include the
black rhinoceros and elephants that are hunted for their ivory and meat.
https://www.newsday.co.zw/2021/10/poaching-a-threat-to-africas-wildlife/