Mozambique: ‘Madala’ marks 7 years of zero elephant poaching in Niassa Reserve
Mozambique: ‘Madala’ marks 7 years of zero elephant poaching in Niassa
Reserve
Club Mozambique
July 10, 2024
See link
https://clubofmozambique.com/news/mozambique-madala-marks-7-years-of-zero-elephant-poaching-in-niassa-reserve-photos-261464/
for photo.
A work of art depicting a life-size elephant is on display in the centre of
the Mozambican capital to mark the seventh year without poaching in
Mozambique’s largest conservation area, the Niassa Special Reserve.
“This elephant is the combination of a very sad story from the Niassa
Reserve (…) At the same time, it is a celebration of seven years without
poaching,” Colombian biologist Paula Ferro, one of the people responsible
for the initiative, told Lusa.
The work, called “Madala”, which means “old man” in the Mozambican language
Xichangana, is supported by a metal structure made from material seized
from poachers over more than 25 years, including firearms and ammunition.
“The ears are made with panels from illegal mining. (…) We have machetes
that are used to cut off the elephant’s horns, we have weapons, ammunition,
pieces of wood and even poachers’ shoes,” says the biologist, who has been
dedicated to conservation projects in Mozambique’s largest conservation
area for 18 years.
The metal structure, made by five residents trained by French sculptor
Jules Pennel, is accompanied by a ‘crochet’ skin, the result of the work of
around 30 women who live in the Niassa Reserve and who were trained as part
of the “Yao Crochet” project, another initiative by the Colombian
biologist, designed to support local communities, especially women.
The work of art, to be displayed in the courtyard of the Franco-Mozambican
Cultural Centre until October 3, was designed by Ferro together with Derek
Littleton, director of the Lugenda Foundation, an organization that
supports communities living in and around the reserve.
The idea now is to auction the work and use the funds to finance an arts
and crafts school project for the communities, Ferro says.
“There are no job opportunities in the reserve, and the few that do arise
are technical jobs. We are forced to look for people from outside, but why
not train people from the community?” the biologist asks.
Established in 1960, the Niassa Special Reserve, located in the north of
the country, is the largest protected area in Mozambique, with an area of
42,400 square kilometres. It is home to the largest concentration of
elephants in Mozambique.
According to official data, with the growing demand for ivory, especially
in 2008, the number of elephants in the reserve fell from 14,000 to less
than 4,000, between 2009 and 2018.
To tackle the problem, the Mozambican government and cooperation partners
developed strategies to stop poaching, in 2024 marking seven years without
any recorded incident.