14th January
2010
We would like to
wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2010.
On the 21st of
December, we went to Kariba and stayed at Nzou Lodges, close
to the NAU Charara site where the infamous party takes
place. We never take a radio or a TV there because it seems
almost sacrilegious to disturb the peacefulness and natural
silence of the bush with music. Until the 29th of December,
there were very few people there and it was wonderful to sit
quietly listening to the beautiful sounds of nature. We were
very lucky because there was a herd of 11 bull elephants in
the vicinity for the duration of our stay and every night,
we were treated to a visit from one or two of these majestic
beasts, walking right past our cottage.
Then on the 30th
of December, the peacefulness was abruptly shattered. The
disco was set up in Charara and the party-goers starting
arriving. Cars, motor bikes and quad bikes were screaming up
and down the dirt roads and the silence was replaced with
the continuous thump-thumping of music emmanating from the
disco, the cottages and the cars. Pick-ups loaded to the
hilt with teenagers, waving drinks in the air, shouting and
cheering, drove recklessly past the elephants and the
hippos.
On New Year's
Eve, we arranged for a young ZCTF member to attend the
party. He reported that the ages of the party-goers ranged
from about 13 to 18 and children who were obviously much
younger than 18 were buying alcohol from the bar. He could
smell the unmistakable aroma of marujana and in the early
hours of the 1st of January, many of these young people were
sprawled all over the ground in a semi-comatose state. He
saw one young couple copulating in the dirt behind a car, in
full view of people walking by. At midnight, fireworks were
set off, in blatant disregard of the signs at the entrance
of Charara "Strictly no fireworks." We were deeply saddened
by this total lack of respect for the wildlife.
According to our
member, a police detail was present but they did
practically nothing. They sprang into action once when a
fight broke out but otherwise remained inconspicuously in
the background. They were not in the least concerned about
the ages of the children buying alcohol or about the setting
off of fireworks.
We noticed a
change in the behaviour of the 11 elephants. They seemed to
be aggravated and confused, flapping their ears and
trumpeting. We watched anxiously from a distance as one bull
mock-charged a car full of youngsters, knowing that if he
had carried out the charge, somebody could have been hurt or
killed and then the elephant would have been classified as a
problem animal and shot.
We have tried to
put a stop to this party or at least to have it moved to a
location closer to Kariba town, away from the main wildlife
preserve and we will carry on trying. The problem is, the
party is a money spinner for the organizers, the National
Anglers' Union who obviously feel that making money takes
priority over everything else. It may surprise them to know
that some things are more important than money.
BUFFALO SHOT
BY NATIONAL PARKS
We have received
a report from a disgusted South Africa tourist who spent 3
weeks in Charara just before Christmas. He was fishing in
Charara watching 2 buffalo grazing contentedly when
suddenly, a contingent of National Parks staff members
appeared in a landrover and shot them, in full view of the
tourist.
He reported the
matter to the Charara National Parks officials who nervously
told him that they had instructions from officials in Harare
"to get meat to the fat cats there."
On his way back
to Harare, he stopped behind a National Parks landrover at a
road block. The landrover was full of fresh meat, some of
which was given to the police manning the road block.
According to
Charara residents, last year there were 96 buffalo in the
Charara area and at the last count 2 weeks ago, there are
only 65 left.
A MOTOR BIKE FOR
STEVE KOK
We are trying to
raise funds to buy a 250cc off-road motor bike for Steve Kok
to help with his anti poaching patrols in Charara. If anyone
is selling a bike, please contact us.
ILLEGAL
HUNTING
Over the past 10
years, we have been circulating reports about the decimation
of the wildlife in Zimbabwe and in so doing, we have been
accused of sensationalism, alarmism, exaggeration, being an
"enemy of the state" and even downright lying. We have
stated several times in the past that once most of the
animals on the private game ranches had been slaughtered,
the poachers and illegal hunters would turn to
the "protected" National Parks for their ill-gotten gains.
The increasing
number of reports we are receiving with regard to illegal
hunting and poaching within the National Parks is cause for
grave concern. Several incidences have been reported to the
Director General of National Parks who, to date, has failed
to respond.
The problem with
illegal hunting within a National Park is that it cannot
take place without the assistance of National Parks
officials and there are many cases where they are involved,
either for personal gain or because they are following
orders from more senior officials or politicians. We have a
list of people, some very high profile, whose names
regularly appear in reports received. If anyone would like
to see the names, please contact us.
ROBINS CAMP -
HWANGE NATIONAL PARK
In July 2009, 5
Romanian hunters, a professional hunter and a National Parks
official were arrested for illegally hunting elephant
in Robins Camp. The case was never finalized. The culprits
were released and their equipment returned, it is believed
upon instructions from the Minister of Tourism and Natural
Resources.
In October 2009,
a South African professional hunter admitted that his French
client had bow hunted an elephant in the Robins area and
that he had paid USD5 000 , which went into the pocket of
the head warden to enable his client to hunt within the
National Park.
SIKUMI FOREST
- HWANGE
In August 2009,
an American hunter illegally shot an elephant with a bow and
arrow in Sikumi Forest, using watermelons as bait to lure
the elephant out of Hwange National Park. The hunt was
conducted by a South African professional hunter in
collaboration with a Zimbabwean professional hunter and the
American was apparently unaware that the hunt was illegal.
The hunting party was guilty of hunting without permission
in Sikumi Forest, bow hunting without the necessary permit
and using bait to attract the elephant.
The South
African professional hunter paid USD2 000 to the Zimbabwean
professional hunter and USD2 000 to the concession holder to
facilitate the hunt and the American client was assured that
everything was legal and above board.
These reports
are just a small percentage of the reports we have received
and all names are available upon request.
RHINOS
POISONED
War veterans
near Humani Estates in Chiredzi have resorted to poisoning
rhinos since they have failed to make a success out of the
farm lands they were allocated in 2000. A spokesman said
that the war vets are placing poisoned cabbages at animal
drinking points so that the animals will eat them when they
come to drink. He said that most of them are working as
agents for South African based rhino horn dealers who have
flooded the area with firearms. He claimed that they are
even poisoning some small dams in the area in the hope that
the rhinos will drink from them.
THANK YOU
Our heartfelt
appreciation to three fourteen year old girls, Sophie Kelly,
Natascha and Amy who raised 50 pounds for us whilst Carol
singing in the UK. It means so much to us when such young
people make an effort to preserve our wildlife.
