Wild animals under threat from poachers

Post Reporter
June 6, 2008

POACHERS are threatening to wipe out wild animals at the Cecil Kop Nature Reserve, located to the east of Mutare.

The reserve is also grappling with wood poaching, as residents are wantonly cutting down trees for firewood.
The firewood is being sold at exorbitant prices to desperate residents. Many residents have resorted to firewood, due to the power outages being caused by load-shedding.
At its peak, the game reserve was home to a lot of animals, namely elephants, giraffes, wildebeests, zebras, impalas, warthogs, kudus, black rhinoceros, as well as crocodiles.
Officials at the reserve said residents were taking advantage of the inadequate security at the game reserve to set up snares.
Some of the meat from the trapped animals was reportedly finding its way to backyard butcheries in Mutare and the neighboring Mozambique.
There have been numerous reports of fires being set up by poachers within the game park.
The Manicaland Wildlife Society chairman, Mr Shame Mudzengerere, fingered illegal border jumpers, who use the reserve to cross the border to and from Moza-mbique, as some of the culprits, who were promoting poaching at the reserve, after leaving some of the gates open.
"Cecil Kop is there for the people of Manica-land and it is our future and history, which shou-ld be safeguarded by everyone.
"People should ask themselves why we are keeping the game and they should try to help us conserve the game that is available," he said.
About 50 snares were removed from the reserve during last week's exercise organised by the Boys' Scouts Asso-ciation.
"People need to use their common sense, this is the future of our children, we need to conserve it," said a security officer manning the reserve.
"We are trying to do all we can to conserve the game. We will soon launch a fire awareness campaign to educate people about the effects of veld fires," added Mr Mudzengerere.
He said residents took advantage of the tranquility in the reserve to hold family gatherings like weddings and braai parties.