Zambezi Hunt Set to Generate $200bn


The Herald (Harare)

February 27, 2006
Posted to the web February 28, 2006

Tsitsi Matope
Harare

FOREIGN professional hunters have started coming into the country for the Zambezi Valley Hunts Auction which starts this week.

The hunt is expected to generate over $200 billion in foreign currency.

Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson Retired Major Edward Mbewe yesterday said there had been an overwhelming response with at least 20 foreign hunters having registered to participate in the auction, to be held this Friday.

"Most of our hunters are coming from as far as America and UK and we expect a significant response from South African hunters this week," Rtd Maj Mbewe said.

This month wildlife experts from Zimbabwe were in America to market the country's wildlife products at the World Annual Convention.

The four-day convention was a success after a significant number of American hunters showed interest in hunting in Zimbabwe.

Rtd Maj Mbewe said the authority is expecting to raise foreign currency worth over $200 billion from the Zambezi Valley auction.

"Last year most hunts went to two main safari companies in Zimbabwe, namely HHK and Inyala, and we managed to raise an equivalent of $12 billion, which we were not happy with," Rtd Maj Mbewe said.

He said this year's hunting season, which opens in May and ends in September, will take place in Chirundu's Nyakatsanga Safari Area and Sapi near Mana Pools.

The authority has introduced a deposit fee of US$1 700 for all hunters interested in participating in the auction and has also stipulated a new regulation that each hunter can only pay for not less than two-thirds of the hunts available in the two safari areas.

"We would like to encourage competition in sport hunting and ensure we give every hunter a chance."

The species on offer for a maximum of 14 days' hunting include hippos, grysbok, baboons, kudu, waterbucks, warthog, elephants and crocodiles.

All animals will be sold in foreign currency while no refunds will be made for all sold bags upon failure to hunt paid for animals.

Rtd Maj Mbewe said all hunting expeditions will be monitored by the authority's wardens to ensure all animals wounded during the hunting period are tracked down and killed.

"We had serious problems last year when some hunters did not track down wounded animals that becomes dangerous in that particular state.


This year we will ensure that the wounded species are killed by both the hunters and our game wardens," Rtd Maj Mbewe said.

Zimbabwe is rated among one of the richest countries in the world in terms of its wildlife species -- both in terms of numbers and variety -- and has entered into exchange programmes with Nigeria and Asian countries such as Japan.

think maybe somebody confused with the number of zeros

Zimbabwe dollars (Z$) not US dollars.

-Bob F.

$200 Billion Zim is about $25.99 USD.

Actually, $1 USD = $824 ZWD