Covid-19 has turned the world upside down. Conservation wise, a disaster is unfolding as communities around our National Parks become hungry and desperate. With the lockdown still in place and inter-city travel banned, there are few eyes and ears in our Parks to monitor illegal activity. Animals, birds and trees are all being targeted.
Sincere gratitude to Stu and Sue Danks of Simply Africa for facilitating a generous grant from the Educasa Foundation represented by Frank Zindel of Liechtenstein.
The donation has enabled us to assist anti-poaching units both in and outside the Park to help mitigate the impact of Covid-19. Regular snare sweeps in poaching hotspots are ongoing, and a team of scouts led by Paul de Montille has embarked on an extensive exercise to remove tons of copper wires that are dangling from derelict telephone poles. These stretch for miles along the Park boundary. This huge task, which is long overdue, removes an easy and cheap source of material for many thousands of potential cruel, wire snares. Hwange Conservation Society UK and the Southern African Conservation Trust (SACT) are also contributing towards this, and to the anti-poaching work detailed below, but more funds are needed to carry on the impetus and complete the exercise.
Ration packs are being provided for many anti-poaching rangers and scouts stationed in the Main Camp region and on the boundaries of the Park. These provide a lifeline for many families each month and generate enormous goodwill.
Animal rescue work is ongoing with the help of the Dart Snare Removal Unit. Creatures carrying snares are tracked, immobilized and the snares cut free. Wounds are treated before animals are revived and left to continue with their lives in the wild. This work requires necessary immobilizing drugs, antibiotics, wound antiseptics, fuel and manpower.
FOH also provides a stock of essential medication and supplies for the Main Camp Clinic which services Parks staff in the whole Western region where clinic services are remote and tenuous.
Burning of critical firebreaks has been completed – a huge task because the Covid-19 lockdown resulted in a dire shortage of manpower. Under Gary’s supervision, six loyal helpers rose to the challenge and completed this monumental undertaking. Both of our tractors worked continuously to harrow the ground, and Stihl chainsaws and blowers donated by Saw Power Blades were used to help clear fallen logs and to control the burns. High accolade and sincere thanks to all those involved.
Many sections of the park are very dry with little surface water remaining. The solar pumps continue to produce water to maximum capacity keeping the water levels in all the pans healthy. Large numbers of elephants have already embarked on their annual trek north, where there is relative safety and they know that water is assured.
We are looking to install a few new solar pumps at pans further afield aimed at spreading out the wildlife. Careful research in collaboration with Parks personnel ensures wise placement of these for maximum wildlife benefit.
None of this work is possible without much generous support.
Special thanks to the following:
Save African Rhino Foundation,(SARF, Australia); Educasa Foundation (Frank Zindel; Simply Africa); Hwange Conservation Society, UK; Southern African Conservation Trust, (SACT); Saving Endangered Wildlife (Dr Wolfgang Hennig, Germany) ; Phatisa Foundation; and many loyal donors worldwide.
No contribution is too small to make a difference.
Friends of Hwange is committed to ensuring the future of the Park and its wildlife. Contributions are always most gratefully welcome.
We work in close collaboration with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, (ZPWMA)
