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SLCS Arrests and seizures to April 2004From December 2003 – May 2004 all operations have been organised by the Unit Leader Richard Zulu and Operations Manager Ed Sayer. The officers have almost constantly been on operations with a very few days off. As you will see below there have been some good results, although no arrests were made during January or February (although there were at the Fly Camps with SLCS Officers Present). Richard Zulu’s ability to organise a Scout from ZAWA and patrol deployment has all run very smoothly. With training and re-training this year, if all goes to plan, the unit will be an even more effective force at the end of the year. Already we have groomed and developed two good patrol leaders in Godfrey Mwanza and Mathews Mbewe and there are young men coming through the ranks with a lot of potential. This rains we have been donated from Luwawata Conservation 20 Ex SA Army Backpacks, 40 Water bottles and 40 Webbing belts, which has greatly improved the patrols mobility. All incentives for the results set out below have been paid at the end of the month that the arrest occurred which greatly improves morale and enthusiasm. SLCS has now brought in a Scout of the Month award and a best Patrol Leader award (to be awarded twice a year) both starting April 2004. The first Scout of the Month was Lackson Kunda, who apprehended Kenneth Banda alias “Dr Banda”, an ivory poacher and dealer we have been after for two years who has two outstanding ivory cases as well as his most recent. Many officers have earned extra money from joining the ZAWA fly camp groups at the same time learning new areas of the National Park and we now have officers that have patrolled all areas of the park except from Lusiwasi southwards on the West bank. This year has been the first year that we have patrolled the Chilongozi Sector as well as parts of the Western Boundary of S.L.N.P. Our relationship with ZAWA this rains has been very good, working undercover together and even sharing rations, sharing vehicles and working out most Operations inside the park together, often sharing officers. In January and March 2004 SLCS officers were deployed by helicopter for the first time, using the Luwawata Conservation Chopper in conjunction with ZAWA. Due to ZAWA’s current shortage of manpower SLCS remains the most active patrolling force in the Upper and Lower Lupande GMA’s, hopefully the Professional Hunters from those areas will be donating to SLCS this year. The results below do not include the eight arrests made during the joint SLCS/ZAWA Anti-Poaching Rainy Season Fly Camps.
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© Afrikeye 1999 - 2007 (certain items under permission of original copyright owner) |
