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Minister among elephant poachers, say parks staff (Zimbabwe)

Minister among elephant poachers, say parks staff (Zimbabwe)
The Zimbabwean
July 22, 2009
HARARE - An un-named government minister is said to have instructed the illegal shooting of an elephant in Hwange National Park. “It has also been alleged that a government minister instructed the Hwange National Parks staff to shoot an elephant,” chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force Johnny Rodrigues told The Zimbabwean. “The elephant, a big bull, was shot close to Makwa Pan in the game park and the meat was sent to Harare in accordance with the minister’s instructions."

Poachers are enjoying a free run thanks to the continuing land grab, but a hefty new fine could make hunters think again before snaring animals.

A fine for killing a leopard is now US$5,000, US$20,000 for an elephant and US$120,000 for a rhino. The new schedule of fines also covers many other species of wildlife in Zimbabwe.

Among the species under threat is the endangered black rhino. In the past week alone two have been snared and slaughtered, say conservationists.

In Macheke, new farmers who have been resettled on farms in the area are snaring all the kudu in the district, cutting them up and selling the meat as biltong. Numerous racks of meat can be seen drying and residents in the area are complaining that there are very few kudu left there.


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