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Dear SupportersWell into our seventh year of operations, the unit is still persevering in our efforts to fight poaching. Times have been very tough for all concerned and the last few months have been very difficult. It goes without saying that the economic situation, with prices of all commodities escalating every month, has driven poaching levels higher.
Some of the villagers from areas surrounding Victoria Falls, are now entering
the Zambezi National Park on hunting trips, bringing with them spears and dogs.
They are spending up to three days in the Chamabonda area which is in the south
of the park. Recently, I was travelling along the border road of this park when
I came across fresh spoor of poachers and their pack of dogs. I radioed the
VFAPU scouts who arrived with armed National Parks and Wildlife Authority
Rangers. We were in luck with regard to tracking this gang as it had just
recently rained, making it far more easier to follow tracks. After an eight hour
example of skilled tracking, we ended up arresting four poachers out of a gang
of seven (three ran away!).
Another successful operation came about after one of VFAPU's under-cover informers tipped us off about a poaching operation taking place between the actual falls and the Zambezi Drive area. After finding several snares which had been set on various game trails, we embarked on an early morning ambush. Luck
was with us, as after one and a half hours, "Isaac" and friend appeared on the
scene to find out if their traps had captured any unfortunate impala or warthog.
We all knew "Isaac" very well by now as we had previously arrested him for
poaching on three previous incidents! After a severe "talking to" by VFAPU, he
then showed us where his stock pile of bush meat was. It turned out that he had
a prosperous bush-meat market on the go and had been supplying game
I would like to reiterate that we will never stop poaching but, with successes like those mentioned above and the fact that we have now removed over fifteen and a half thousand snares from the bush, we can make a difference. We ALL stand to gain as much as each other by protecting our precious natural resources. Whilst we can not often thank all of our supporters personally, we remain grateful to all of you who have helped make this difference. Please feel free to contact me anytime for further information. Yours in conservation... Charles Brightman |
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© Afrikeye 1999 - 2007 (certain items under permission of original copyright owner) |
There
has been a dramatic increase in poaching of impala, warthog and waterbuck at the
golf course. It appears that there is a well-managed syndicate operating in this
area, who are well informed as to the unit's movements as our patrols and
ambushes have had no recent luck apprehending suspects. We have, however,
removed numerous snares from the bush between the fairways as well as being
successful at darting and treating further snared/injured mammals. To reflect on
this upsurge of poaching, there are now only nine waterbuck left on the whole
golf course!!
Wood collection in all it's forms continues to play a major part in the
degradation of the environment around Victoria Falls. VFAPU continues to arrest
many wood carvers as well as firewood collectors but the sheer numbers are often
too many to deal with.
They had poached two female kudu, one serval and a
number of game birds. Follow-up operations into the village areas the next day,
lead to the arrest of one more of the gang.
meat to the
locals for some time. His friend was also on our files with previous arrests for
poaching and assault and in fact, was responsible for giving VFAPU's head scout,
Lovemore Ncube twelve stitches, after he hit him with a brick on the head!