Zim, China in Wildlife Exchange Programme

The Herald (Harare)

September 15, 2005
Harare

ZIMBABWE is set to receive, by the end of the year, four Siberian tigers - the largest cat in the world - from China for captive breeding in an exchange programme.

In an interview yesterday Environment and Tourism Minister, Cde Francis Nhema said Zimbabwe would receive its first four tigers for captive breeding.

"We do not have the tiger in this country and we would like to benefit from the exchange programme with China.

"We have also given them various animals for breeding purposes in China that include the zebra, impala and elephants," Cde Nhema said.

Cde Nhema said three Chinese wildlife experts from the World Wildlife Limited are currently in the country to assess whether the country's environment is conducive for the breeding of the tiger.

"We are happy that the three experts found our animal habitats friendly to the requirements that are compulsory for tiger breeding and we expect the animals would be here as soon as possible," Cde Nhema said. The tigers would be placed in protected areas where they would be used for educational purposes and for sight seeing.

Cde Nhema said the country owing to illegal hunting in protected areas and poaching by local communities, has in the last four years lost some of its wildlife in various areas.

He said with the sector's new thrust and legislation, his ministry expected the wildlife population to grow significantly to the immense benefit of the country.

Cde Nhema said Zimbabwe had benefited a lot from the exchange programmes with other countries in Africa and beyond.

He said there is an amazing realisation by most countries that wildlife conservation and concern for natural resources yielded huge benefits for the world's economies.

"We shall always try to come up with new strategies to conserve our natural resources because like I always say, our economy revolves around these resources."

Parks and Wildlife Authority Manager, Retired Major Edward Mbewe yesterday said the authority has taken the three Chinese experts in zoology to Antelope Park in Gweru, Chipangali in Bulawayo, which are privately owned and Hwange National Park where they expect to place the tigers.

He said the Chinese experts were impressed by captive breeding activities being conducted by the two private safari operators who are into the breeding of lions and leopards.

"As an authority we would like to focus on large scale captive breeding for the first time to protect our endangered species that include the painted dog, lions, leopards and the rhino," Rtd Maj Mbewe said.

He said the authority would like to adopt the concept of zoos, which is associated with Asia and other European countries to enable the country to breed more of the endangered species before they are released back into the wild after they have significantly multiplied their numbers.

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