Nokuthaba Dlamini
Victoria Falls—Two recent criminal cases have highlighted the ongoing struggle to protect Zimbabwe’s wildlife heritage.
A Chinese national, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for illegally dealing in wildlife products, including rhino horn and ivory.
A Harare magistrates convicted Cong Yanzhong, 57, on two counts of unlawfully dealing in wildlife products.
He was arrested in July and detectives recovered 7.7kg of rhino horn worth US$240, 000 and 36kg of raw ivory valued at just over US$6, 000 in his possession.
In another case, Nkosilamandla Ncube (27) from Fatima Village in Lupane was sentenced to nine years in prison for possessing protected animal trophies, including pangolin scales and python skin valued at US$47 000.
Serious threat
Elsewhere, poaching has been reported as a serious threat to Zimbabwe’s wildlife, and organised syndicates have been identified among the biggest poachers in the past.
Poached animals include rhinos, elephants, rare small animals, pythons and other snakes as well as lions and leopards.
In Matabeleland North, villagers are sounding the alarm, warning that if wildlife is not protected, it may face extinction.
“We want rangers to continue doing their job,” said villager Emma Ndlovu. “They are the ones who can stop poachers and habitat destroyers in their tracks.”
Headman Doctor Ncube from ward 24 in Chimwara in Lupane echoed Ndlovu’s sentiments.
“Rangers are our eyes and ears on the ground,” he said. “We need them to protect our wildlife and our natural resources because given the rate at which poaching activities are happening, our wildlife may not make it to the fourth generation.”
Thembi Moyo, a local farmer, expressed her concern about the impact of wildlife crime on her community.
Communities stand to lose out
“We rely on hunting tourism to support our local economy,” she said. “If the wildlife is wiped out, the tourists will stop coming, and our livelihoods will be affected.”
Jabulani Sibanda, a young Gwayi Pottery villager, emphasised the importance of protecting wildlife for future generations.
“If we don’t protect our wildlife, it will be gone forever. In my community, people kill even snakes for rituals, but we are worried at the rate this is being done,” he said. “We need rangers to keep doing their job, and we need the government to support them.”
David Kuvawoga, the operations director at Painted Dog Conservation that operates in Hwange National Park, concurred with the villagers.
“This landscape, with all its wildlife, must thrive. We want wildlife to flourish not just for us, but for our children and grandchildren,” he said at a recent ranger challenge in Lupane’s Gwai Valley.
The event underscored the vital role of rangers in enhancing livelihoods, improving their performance, and advocating for transformative changes in conservation.
Debra Ogilvie-Roodt, who leads the Conservation Wildlife Fund, highlighted the importance of acknowledging the rangers’ hard work.
The fund seeks to protect lions, elephants and other species within Hwange while creating sustainable livelihoods for local communities,
“Rangers face significant challenges. We need to ensure rangers have what they need to do their jobs effectively,” she said.
Catch them young
Sipho Ncube a former local teacher, emphasised the importance of education in promoting wildlife conservation. “We need to teach our children about the importance of protecting wildlife and the environment,” he said. “If we don’t educate them, they won’t know the value of conservation.”
The National Prosecuting Authority indicates that, in 2023 alone, over 900 wildlife crime cases were heard in courts across Zimbabwe.
Mashonaland West had the highest number of cases, followed by Masvingo and Matabeleland North.
Methods used by poachers including snare traps, spear attacks and poisoning are becoming increasingly rampant.
In some cases, rangers and other state officials are reportedly colluding with poachers, making it even harder to combat wildlife crime.