By Philemon Jambaya in Hwange
The 2019 five-year-agreement between Internatuonal Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw) and Zimparks Ifaw committed to funding the wildlife authority to the tune of US$1 million per year is advancing positively.
So sar Ifaw has poured US$2 million for projects at Hwange National Park and so far the road from the Main Camp to Makona Camp has been refurbished.
For animal health, the Nyamandlovu Pan was scooped of mud to ensure a reliable source of water at the popular game viewing platform.
Water pumps within the over 14 000 square kilometre park have also been powered with solar after replacement of diesel-powered generators with green energy at most of the 102 water sources within the park and 10 semi-detached houses for security personnel in the frontline of the battle against poaching have been constructed.
The Nyamandlovu Pan has also been refurbished as it is a popular platform where tourists can view wild animals coming for a drink and is also conveniently located close to the Main Camp.
Through the agreement Zimparks has also been enabled to furnish its veterinary laboratory situated at Mtshibi Camp with the facility being equipped with a PCR machine.
Previously it was difficult to take samples from carcasses as they had to be taken to Victoria Falls for testing.
Costs were also being incurred through hiring an external veterinarian whenever there was need but all this has been addressed through the partnership.
Zimparks communications manager, Tinashe Farawo said the deal has motivated Zimparks which has been struggling to motivate its employees to effectively execute their duties within the park.
“We are very grateful to Ifaw for the funding they have provided to enable us to become more effective in our conservation efforts. We have since been able to construct houses for our rangers and reaction units at Makona Camp,” said Farawo.
“We have generally been struggling to effectively manage our conservation efforts because before the construction of these houses, our people had to travel from the main camp to Makona Camp but now they can live within their area of operation.
Farawo said the agreement has also enabled the authority to improve the situation arisning from human and wildlife conflicts.
“This is cost effective for us and also helps us to better manage conflicts between local communities and wild animals,” Mr. Farawo added.
After years of financial challenges, Zimparks’partnership with Ifaw has ensured it is able to fulfil its mandate of securing the country’s wild animal herds especially the elephant herd which currently stands at an estimated 44 000.
Matabeleland North Regional Manager, Sam Chibaya said the initiative has produced results with the park not having lost a single elephant to poachers in the last two years.
“As far as we know, we have not had an elephant die because of poaching in the last two years although we have had mortalities we believed to be due to natural causes,” Mr. Chibaya said on the sidelines of the tour.
This year an animal census is planned after the last one was carried out in 2014., the exercise is expected to begin in July at the peak of the dry season.
