LOCAL NEWS



Investigations reveal buffaloes died of thirst
Vic Falls Reporter
INITIAL investigations into the death of 21 buffaloes at the Hwange National Park have revealed that the animals could have died of thirst, the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority of Zimbabwe Public Relations Manager, Retired Major Edward Mbewe, said yesterday.

Rtd Maj Mbewe told Chronicle in Hwange that there has not been an outbreak of disease at the park, so the death of animals could have been caused by lack of water, as there was a shortage in the area.

He said the available pumps were failing to draw enough water because they were not powerful.

Rtd Maj Mbewe said the situation had been aggravated by the fact that animals such as elephants were moving from areas such as the Gwaai Conservancy and Matetsi to seek water from the Hwange National Park, in the process exerting pressure on the water holes.

“Right now the temperatures are just too high and the animals need water. So when they reach the water holes there will be too much congestion and most of the time elephants will be in control, leaving small animals vulnerable,†he said.

“If therefore bigger and powerful pumps are installed it means more water will be pumped at any given time filling the water holes. This means that more animals will be able to drink at the same time without disadvantaging others.â€

Rtd Maj Mbewe said the authority wanted to install BH250 pumps to replace the existing BH50.

He said the BH250 pumps would go a long way in alleviating the “artificial shortage of water,†which was being fuelled by the present pumping capacity which is low.

He said the authority was also in the process of servicing some of the water pumps that broke down.

However, Rtd Maj Mbewe said the long-term solution would be to electrify the water pumping system or use either solar and windmills to beef up the capacity of the pumps.

Maybe Capt. Peewee went to the Ray Nagin School of Management.

They probably ran out of fuel for the pumps yet again.

In 1995 35,000 buffalo died in Hwange of thirst after Mark Russel( Senior Ranger) and Sunny Moyo (warden main camp) stole the fuel for the pumps to run a logging project in the south of the park. Mark got five years and Sunny was pardoned after the vice president interviened. Mark Served 3 months and then came back to Parks!!! He is currently illegally occupying a farm in the Gwaii selling hunts after parks finally managed to ditch him 3 years ago.

Gross incompetance is nothing new

typical bunch of BS. when we were in zim this spring the pumps at gonzrezhou were all broken with no money etc. to even think about fixing them.