ZELA urges govt, CSOs, private entities to increase investment to combat wildlife crimes
ZELA urges govt, CSOs, private entities to increase investment to combat
wildlife crimes
New Zimbabwe
January 17, 2024
The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) has urged increased
investment from government, civil societies and other private actors to
combat wildlife crimes.
This comes after six elephants were found dead last week in the
Gwayi-Shangani Wildlife Conservancy area in a suspected case of cyanide
poisoning.
The elephants which were found in a decomposing state had their tusks
removed suggesting that the killings were driven by poaching motives.
In a statement Monday, the environmental lobby group called upon
stakeholders to capacitate communities with the skills required to lessen
wildlife crimes, and utilise digital technology for monitoring animals’
movements.
“Consequently, ZELA continues to call upon further investment by
government, private actors, and civil society in implementing various
initiatives to equip communities with the necessary skills to mitigate and
prevent wildlife crime while promoting conservation of the wildlife
resources.
“We call upon these actors to innovate around the use of digital technology
for establishing mechanisms for community wildlife crime monitoring,
reporting and follow-up.
“We earnestly urge the government and other developmental partners in the
sector to increase investments in cutting-edge technology. Such
advancements will significantly enhance the monitoring of animal movements
and the early detection of wildlife crimes,” ZELA said.
The environmental lobby group added that the substantial elephant
population has now become a prime target for wildlife criminal targets.
“The celebrated abundance of elephants in Zimbabwe has paradoxically
transformed into a curse. The significant elephant population has become an
attractive target for wildlife criminal syndicates, making our country a
hotspot for elephant poaching.
“A flourishing elephant population holds environmental/ecological, economic
and social benefits for Zimbabwe,” the statement further reads.
In 2013, Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest game park, witnessed the
tragic poisoning of over 80 elephants.
According to ZimParks, between 2016 and 2019, a minimum of 322 elephants
were poached, primarily targeted for their tusks.