Zimbabwe: National Parks Starts Dehorning Rhinos in Hwange

The Herald (Harare)

12 September 2007
Harare

The National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority of Zimbabwe said yesterday it had started dehorning rhinos in Hwange National Park in an effort to deter poaching of one of the world's endangered species.

Public relations manager, Retired Major Edward Mbewe, told New Ziana that the dehorning exercise in the Sinamatela administrative camp of the park started on Sunday and would run for two weeks. "By early yesterday (Monday) we had dehorned three rhinos," he said. "During this exercise we will also do ear notching for identification purposes when we do rhino monitoring." Rtd Major Mbewe said the National Parks was working with various wildlife conservation organisations including the Zimbabwe Marvell Trust, African Wildlife Foundation as well as the Veterinary Services Department in carrying out the exercise.

He said the exercise would also enable the National Parks to determine home ranges for rhinos and relocate some if they are concentrated in one area. "This exercise will enable us to determine suitable areas where we can establish new intensive protection zones for rhinos," Rtd Major Mbewe said, adding the National Parks would continue to improve its rhino management systems.

Currently, there are rhino monitors in every park who are professionally trained to monitor, follow and ensure security, health and protection of rhinos from poachers.

The dehorning exercise, which started in the Save Conservancy in May, would also be spread to other areas to improve rhino protection in the country, he said. Zimbabwe has a population of around 800 black and white rhinos in intensive protection zones. There is a ready market, especially in the Far East, for rhino horns, which, like elephant tusks, are used mostly to manufacture jewellery, figurines and tourist trinkets. Meanwhile, as efforts to curb wildlife poaching continued, Rtd Major Mbewe said the National Parks recently arrested a number of poachers and confiscated various tools they use to trap animals.

He said more than 349 poachers were arrested in different parts of the country and 214 snares destroyed in the month of July alone.

A total of 69 illegal fishing nets were also confiscated in Mlibizi, Lake Chivero, Ewanrigg, Matusadonha and Osborne dams over the same period. "We also impounded nine fishing rigs and two dinghies in Kariba," he said. Rtd Major Mbewe said they were determined to curb poaching of wildlife, as sometimes poachers were also responsible for causing veld fires in parks.

"Once we locate their camps we destroy them so that they do not come back again."

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