Categories: Stories

Zimbabwe to destock wildlife as drought ravages the country

The Parks and Wildlife Management Authority of Zimbabwe says it will reduce its stock of wildlife in the country to manageable levels after drought affected pastures and water sources.

Wildlife estates, which mostly lie in the drought prone regions of the country, including the Zambezi Valley and the south eastern parts of Zimbabwe, are failing to cope with demand for pastures and water due to the drought that has hit southern Africa and left 36 million people across the region requiring food aid.

In Zimbabwe, four million people are facing starvation.

The government says over 28 000 cattle perished this year across the country during the period leading to March, when the country received improved rainfall but not enough to rescue the season.

The move by the Parks authority to destock points to a desperate situation in national parks, which are home to scores of game, including elephant, buffalo, zebra, rhino, lions and many others, analysts say.

“In light of the drought that was induced by the El Nino phenomenon, Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, intends to destock its Parks Estates through selling some of the wildlife,” the authority said.

“The authority is therefore inviting members of the public with capacity to acquire and manage wildlife to submit their expressions of interests.”

It did not say the number of animals to be moved to private management, whether the destocking would involve the export of animals, or which species had been most affected by the drought.

However, the country’s stock of 83 000 elephants far outstrips its carrying capacity, which is about half this number.

After being confronted by criticism for exporting elephants to China, Environment Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said in January that lions, baboons and hyenas could also be exported as the country grapples with overpopulation and the crippling drought.

“We are going to increase the number of exports of elephants and other species, because they have done a good job in taking care of those (animals) they have already bought from us,” Muchinguri-Kashiri said then.-The Source

 

Related stories:

Cecil the Lion generates $1.2 million for Oxford University, nothing for the park where it was killed

Cecil the lion: A lens on land, wildlife and elite politics in Zimbabwe

Cecil has a new meaning

Who has the largest illegal wildlife trade with China?

Wildlife ranchers being forced into partnerships with ZANU-PF insiders

There is money in wildlife

 

(54 VIEWS)

This post was last modified on May 7, 2016 7:35 pm

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

Recent Posts

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe expects more foreign currency sellers to join the interbank market

The gazetting into law of the payment of quarterly taxes on a 50-50 basis in…

December 4, 2024

Zimbabwe 2025 citizens’ budget

Zimbabwe has today unveiled a ZiG276.4 billion budget for 2025 during which it expects the…

November 28, 2024

To go or not to go- Mnangagwa in a quandary

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has repeatedly stated that he is not going to contest a…

November 25, 2024

ZiG loses steam, falls against US dollar for five consecutive days

The Zimbabwe Gold fell against the United States dollar for five consecutive days from Monday…

November 22, 2024

Indian think tank says Starlink is a wolf in sheep’s clothing

An Indian think tank has described Starlink, a satellite internet service provider which recently entered…

November 18, 2024

ZiG firms against US dollar for 10 days running but people still do not have confidence in the currency

Zimbabwe’s new currency, the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG), firmed against the United States dollars for 10…

November 16, 2024