Zimbabwe: Three Poachers Killed, 573 Others Arrested

The Herald (Harare)
Published by the government of Zimbabwe

The Herald (Harare)

19 April 2008
Harare

Three poachers have been killed while 573 others have been arrested in the first three months of the year as the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority intensifies its war against poaching.

Parks spokesperson Retired Major Edward Mbewe said they arrested 1 005 fish poachers and confiscated three trucks, four canoes and hundreds of fishing nets. The authority also recovered more than 4 000kg of fish and kapenta countrywide. Five rifles including an AK with a fully charged magazine, 14 spears, six axes and a mobile phone were also recovered during the clampdown.

"We have also removed 687 snares countrywide with the highest number of snares removed in the southern region where 480 snares were removed. "The authority has realised that poaching and illegal hunting is a major threat particularly with the prevailing socio-economic environment so we have decided to defend the protection of bio-diversity. "Significant resources have been channelled towards the monitoring of illegal activities right across the country. It is in this light that we have established anti-poaching units in areas that may be called trouble spots," he said.

The establishment of such units was bearing fruit as witnessed by the number of poachers arrested. "In Sinamatela, Hwange in the Rhinobar area one poacher was killed and our rangers recovered an AK rifle with 581 rounds of ammunition. "In Chizarira one poacher was killed and two .303 rifles were recovered sometime in February."

Rtd Major Mbewe said the highest number of animal poachers were arrested in the southern region where 496 were arrested, 58 were arrested in the northern region while 19 were arrested in the western region. The highest number of fish poachers were arrested at Lake Chivero 435, Darwendale Dam 359, Limpopo River 50, Mazvikadei Dam 44, Lake Kariba Dam and Binga 44, Lake Mutirikwi 32, Mwenezi 11 and Osborne Dam 10.

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