Support & Research

As of the 1st October 2003 the Norwegian Embassy have been supporting ZAWA Lower Zambezi Area Management Unit with funds for operations. This has brought an increase to the number of man days ZAWA has spent in the field each month and although it has relieved CLZ of the cost of fuel and rations, it has increased the demands on CLZ resources used with moving the increased number of men to and from the field.

Welcome to Rhoda Kachali

Educated at the University of Zambia Rhoda Kachali was appointed as ZAWA ecologist to Lower Zambezi Area Management Unit in November 2003. Rhoda is being funded by AWF through ZAWA and, although currently residing in Lusaka, Rhoda hopes to move closer to the Lower Zambezi as soon as the opportunity arises. CLZ welcome Rhoda to the valley and look forward to working with her.

Patrol Team Ambushed

In late November 2003, during a routine patrol through the centre of the Lower Zambezi National Park, a patrol team was ambushed by a band of poachers. During the incident, two officers were seriously wounded. CLZ responded as soon as they were contacted and with the assistance of Kiambi Safari's boat managed to expedite both victims to qualified medical help within hours. CLZ credit ZAWA for their support through Specialist Emergency Services (SES) and the hospital staff and services in Lusaka. Both officers have since recovered and CLZ has offered ZAWA use of resources to track down the poachers responsible.

Recent Results

DATE	TEAM	LEADER	APPREHENDED	CONFISCATIONS
05.10.03	Lion I	G Banda		2 x Muzzle Loading Rifles
10.10.03	Lion I	G Banda	9 poachers	30.06, G3`Ammunition
15.10.03	Rhino		6 poachers	Ivory & elephant meat
25.10.03	Chinyunyu		4 meat traffickers	Bush meat
26.10.03	Buffalo II			5 wire snares
13.11.03	Lion II	M Tembo	3 Illegal Fishermen Banana Boat, Nets, Fish
07.01.04	Lion II	M Banda		Bush meat, 5 x knives, axe
15.01.02	Lion II	M Banda		Ivory
06.02.04	Zebra I		2 poachers
11.02.04	Lion I	G Mukelabai		Bush meat, camping equipment
24.02.04	Tornado	J Chomba	2 poachers
19.03.04	Lusetu Operation	Operations Ranger		Ivory, .375 rifle, 10 ammo

Joint Forces Operation Rufunsa 20th - 22nd December 2004

ZAWA and the Zambian Police supported by CLZ and Agrofuel Co Ltd joined forces in what turned out to be the most successful operation of the year in Rufunsa an area north east of Lower Zambezi National Park. The operation began during daylight with a road block and clean up through Chimusanya.

Working day and night over the following 2 days resulted in the largest haul of illegal weapons ever seen in an operation of it's size. 66 Muzzle Loading Rifles, 1 Shotgun, 1 .375 rifle, 1 AK47, 1 M59 SM, 105 kg game meat, 2 pairs Ivory tusks and 100 kg cannabis as well as 24 criminal suspects.

Aerial support

Over the last 6 months CLZ have supported 3513 patrol man-days. The CLZ Ndeke has only flown 20 hrs over the past 6 months. CLZ's concerns that the new restrictions ZAWA has put on the plane would result in reduced flying hours and the effectiveness of the aircraft have proved to be valid. It is hoped that these restrictions will be reviewed when CLZ submits its MoU to ZAWA this month so that the CLZ plane may resume monitoring wildlife and providing vital support to patrol teams in the field to its former capacity.

Wildlife and Scientific Research

African Wild Dog Conservation (AWDC)

AWDC has recommended to ZAWA that CLZ maintain the monitoring of the African Wild Dog packs in the Lower Zambezi whilst Kellie Leigh, the project director, is away writing up her Doctoral thesis. CLZ are delighted to be entrusted with this responsibility and strongly believe that without the past monitoring of this very important indicator species it is possible that the wild dogs could otherwise now have been extinct from the area.

Well done Kellie on all the hard work over the last years and good luck with your PHD.

Geographical Information System & Database for Lower Zambezi

Ian's brother Andrew Stevenson donated 3 months of his time and expertise to CLZ to establish a database to assist CLZ, ZAWA and the Communty with a useful tool for monitoring and management of the Lower Zambezi. The project Andrew took on has not yet been completed and he is still hard at work in his spare time back in Australia. Despite this however the instrument has already proven useful for not only CLZ and ZAWA but also for the Ministry of Roads who are currently looking at improving the present road infrastructure in the area. CLZ thank's Andrew and family for not only their time but also a donation of 1,800USD.

ZAWA and anti-poaching

NORAD support to ZAWA