I could not get the picture to print of the snares,but you can see it by going to www.zimbabwesituation.com
The article is ZCTF report.



ZIMBABWE CONSERVATION TASK FORCE



ILLEGAL SOUTH AFRICAN HUNTERS

A couple of week ago, I sent out a report about South African hunters on a killing spree in the Matetsi area. I felt this information warranted an investigation so with the help of a few people who very kindly helped towards my travelling expenses, I took a trip up to Matetsi and Vic Falls.

I discovered that a Zimbabwean Non Governmental Organization which goes by the name of Africa Centre for Holistic Management (ACHM) is ultimately responsible for the carnage which has been taking place. The Directors of ACHM are Huggins Matanga and Alan Savory who now lives in America. His address is P O Box 7128, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

On the face of it, the original objective of ACHM was to take occupation of Waterford, Sekebelo and Bosweden Farms, known collectively as Woodlands Estates in Matetsi, the place where the South Africans were recently slaughtering the wildlife, and turn it into a wildlife management college. They have allegedly received funds from America to start their "college" but it appears that some of those funds were used to pay war vets and locals from surrounding villages to invade the three farms and drive out the legal owners.

To add insult to injury, Alan Savory, from his safe haven in New Mexico sends hunters from all over the world to hunt on Woodlands Estates which was once considered to be the "jewel" of Zimbabwe because of the abundance of wildlife there. He is naturally paid handsomely for this service.

Other outfits connected with this illegal hunting are the same ones that have cropped up time and time again, Nyati Safaris, Out of Africa Safaris and the American agent, Cabelas. On the attachment are details of illegal hunts conducted on Woodland Estates between June and November 2003.

On Waterford Farm, I saw 2 very large deep freezers with "National Parks" written on them, full of game meat and I was told that they belong to the Victoria Falls Warden who sells the meat to the locals. The wildlife doesn't stand a chance against this onslaught because in addition to the illegal hunting, poaching is also rife. The legal owners of Sekebelo and Bosweden Farms, who have subsequently been evicted showed me piles and piles of snares which they have removed from the bush on their farms. See photos attached.

I visited Matetsi Unit 1 which previously had abundant game, only to find that there is practically nothing left thanks to Out of Africa and Nyati Safaris and hunter by the name of Tristan Peacocke who allegedly uses dogs to hunt leopard. Unit 1 is no longer bearing any fruit, but that's no problem for the hunters because they have now shifted their attention to Matetsi Unit 4 where they can buy hunts from Mike Chidziwa. Nobody abides by any quotas so it's open season on wildlife in Zimbabwe.

During my trip, I discovered that this illegal hunting operation is a well organized affair. It appears that the hunters base themselves at Halfway House which is a hotel on the main Victoria Falls road, roughly half way between Bulawayo and the falls. They camp in the bush opposite the hotel. I counted 9 South African vehicles parked there and 18 hunters. Each pair of hunters had about 4 war vets or settlers assisting them. It was dark so I was only able to get one registration number from a Toyota Raider: NCC 266 T. From there, they make their way through Sikumi, Kanondo and Katshana, (the home of the Presidential Elephants and owned by Governor Orbert Mpofu), Matetsi and Woodlands Estates, slaughtering whatever they can at each place. When they get back to Halfway House, they use the hotel workshops to weld their trophies into false long-range fuel tanks on their vehicles. They also stuff skins into the spare wheels and then smuggle their goods through either Beit Bridge or Pandamatenga border posts.

I also discovered that the headquarters of Out of Africa Safaris is at a place called All Days which is in the far north of South Africa, about 150km South-West of Beit Bridge. I was told that they have a big warehouse there where they treat the trophies and pack them for export.

Nyati Safaris, owned by Phil Palmer and Jacob Mudenda, apparently not satisfied with their lucrative hunting business have also managed to acquire a concession to chop down indigenous trees in the Vic Falls area which I am told they export to Pretoria North.

We have reported our findings to National Parks and will also be alerting the South African authorities.

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELEPHANTS OF ZIMBABWE
�The Presidential Elephants of Zimbabwe� inhabit the Hwange Estate, bordering Zimbabwe�s Hwange National Park. Tourists came from around the world to experience this habituated elephant herd. The elephants were studied and monitored.

By the early 2000s things were turning bad. Between 2001 and 2003 over 30 elephants were encountered with snare wounds. But what was to happen in September 2003 was even more horrifying. A government official claimed the State Land area of Kanondo (home to �The Presidential Elephants of Zimbabwe�, and which - just as absurdly for one man to �own� - also includes the Hwange National Park Airport). In addition, this government official also laid claim to the adjoining �Touch the Wild�s� Katshana lodge and the land surrounding it. These two properties he greedily added to another three that he had reputedly already �acquired�. He also managed to acquire hunting quotas, and the gunfire started on land not hunted for more than 30 years.

By 2004 much was in ruins. Safari operators were no longer allowed on the land. Zimbabwe�s flagship herd was inaccessible, and under threat. The waterholes were left to dry up completely, and those few that did hold water were under-utilized by the wildlife. Gunfire had scared them off. Even the researchers and conservationists have now been banned from the land. Is the government of Zimbabwe content to sit back and watch one of their own destroy what The President pledged in 1990 to protect? �The Presidential Elephants of Zimbabwe.� What did the �Presidential decree� mean? Does no-one care that it is being blatantly abused by a greedy official?

Hand back the land Governor Obert Mpofu. Your time is up.



Johnny Rodrigues
Chairman for Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force
Phone 263 4 336710
Fax 263 4 336710
Mobile 263 11 603 213
www.zctf.mweb.co.zw

The internet lists the "The Savory Center" here http://www.holisticmanagement.org/ but the name they have listed is Allan Savory, not Alan.

WOW!

What a f'd up scam!

-C

I wonder where SCI is when they actually can do something. Is the money from OOA too good to let go of?