Why Zim trades in elephant, other wildlife
ZIMBABWE has a proud history of successful elephant conservation and is one of the key elephant range states and home to the second-largest elephant population after Botswana.
Esee the wisdom in Zimbabwe’s approach and are rendering support to our efforts.
The ever-increasing elephant population in the country is not by accident.
It is a result of excellent conservation of the species and integrity of the wildlife habitat.
The country pursues a philosophy of sustainable consumptive and non-consumptive use of its natural resources for economic development.
This philosophy is grounded on the creation of value for wildlife and in turn, this has incentivised conservation efforts as more people spare land for wildlife instead of cropping.
Zimbabwe developed and is implementing sound conservation policies, and species-specific action plans for elephants, rhinos, lions and other animals.
Application of these strategies has resulted in the decline of poaching of key wildlife species since 2013. The downside of the high elephant population is conflict, especially with local LEPHANTS are distributed in four communities who live with wildlife and main regions in Zimbabwe: Northor share boundaries with the major prowest Matabeleland (Hwange-Matected areas. tetsi), Sebungwe, mid-Zambezi Valley, In the past five years, nearly 500 lives and South-East Lowveld (Gonarezhou). have been lost while 582 cattle
These ranges cover different land tenure were lost to wildlife attacks. categories in Zimbabwe, which include Thousands of hectares parks estates, privately-owned crops have been destroyed. land, communal land and Over the same period, 153 indigenous forest areas. people were injured by wildlife.Thecountryhasan elephant population estiIn order for our people to mated at 84 000, according appreciate the importance of to the last census conducted these animals as economic in 2014. enablers, we need resources
Ensuring the safety and to build schools, clinics, conservation of these aniroads and economic inframals is the responsibility structure from these natuof the Zimbabwe Parks and ral resources. Wildlife Management AuthorWildlife must conity (ZimParks). tribute resources for
Needless to say, ZimParks is community developprobably the only wildlife manment, management of agement agency in the world that human-wildlife condoes not receive funding from flicts and its conservation. the central Government for conThis can only be achieved by allowing servation purposes. us to trade in wildlife particularly ele
As a result, we believe that phants. wildlife should pay for its upkeep and We have made an undertaking to harprotection. vest elephants in a sustainable manner Conservation of wildlife is expensive. and abide by international wildlife trade ZimParks has been unable to generate regulations governed by CITES and our enough resources to support its consernational laws. vation operations. In the spirit of transparency, we have
The situation has been made worse disclosed to the world the number of eleby the Covid-19 pandemic, which has phants we sold, how much we received resulted in the drying up of tourism from the sales and what we did with the receipts. money.
ZimParks deputy director general Mr In addition, we undergo annual audits Geofreys Matipano contends that ecoby the Auditor-General and have never nomic sanctions imposed on the country been found on the wrong side since the by the West have worsened the situation. assumption of office by Dr Fulton Upenyu
“Zimbabwe is under illegal sanctions Mangwanya’s management team in 2017. imposed by Europe and the United States The Government takes seriously the of America that have an immense influconservation of wildlife and will continue ence on natural resource conservation,” to implement a mix of strategies including said Mr Matipano. anti-poaching and anti-illegal trade, lob
“These countries influence Internabying for the removal of the trade restrictional Financial Institutions, International tions, exploring alternative mechanisms Aid Organisations, International Develfor the ivory trade, and revamping its opment Partners and donors to withhold eco-tourism and resource mobilisation. meaningful support for Zimbabwe in the form of aid, grants and lines of credit for economic recovery and conservation programmes.
“Conservation work is extremely difficult in an economy under sanctions.”
To add insult to injury, the same countries that have imposed sanctions on the country have coalesced around bullying weaker nations into withdrawing support for Zimbabwe at international conservation forums such as CITES.
Zimbabwe has for years sought permission at CITES to sell its elephants and other wildlife products.
As a result, Zimbabwe is stuck with over 130 tonnes of ivory and over 5 tonnes of rhino horn.
In addition to incurring costs of managing wildlife in the bushes, Zimparks is also incurring the huge costs that come with preserving a growing stock of ivory and rhino horns worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
The central vault, which keeps ivory from wildlife management ranges including state gazetted wildlife areas, gazetted indigenous forests, and communal lands, is under immense strain.
According to Mr Matipano, there was a need to overhaul the mind-set in CITES in order to move the organisation from just listing species under Appendices on account of emotion and not science.
Instead, CITES should transform into a pragmatic organ facilitating the conservation of wildlife through international trade.
Zimbabwe is lobbying for CITES or an alternative organisation to help release the financial potential held in ivory and rhino horn stocks stashed in our vaults for the benefit not only of wildlife but communities who share borders with these animals.
Over the years, these overbearing countries have ganged up with animal rights activists to stop hunting and the trade in wildlife products.
Elephants and indeed all our animals need protection from poachers and this requires resources for our brave men and women in the bush.
They need uniforms, boots and rifles among other things.
Sadly, these hostile nations and animal rights activists are suffocating our resource streams which we need to support conservation.
Wildlife is not conserved through trade bans and restrictions, and stifling resource streams.
Encouragingly, a few international conservation organisations are beginning to
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