The Sunday News
Mzingaye Ncube/Ngonidzashe Chiutsi Business Reporters
RHINO poaching in Zimbabwe has declined by 69 percent since 2010 following concerted efforts from various stakeholders in the country to deal with the challenge that had threatened the endangered species.Speaking in Bulawayo last Friday at a launch of a Rhinos awareness campaign, to be carried out by a Bulawayo tour guide, Mr Samuel Nkomo, who is set to walk 500 kilometres from Matopos to Victoria Falls, Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, said the number of rhinos was increasing slightly in the country.
He said as at 31 December 2013, preliminary reports showed that Zimbabwe had a total of 753 rhinos of which 457 were black rhinos and 296 were white rhinos.
“There has been a reduction in rhino poaching during the past years from 52 in 2010, to 38 in 2011 to 22 in 2012 and 16 in 2013. Testimony to this is also the increase in black rhino population from 429 in 2011 to 457 in 2013 and white rhino population from 279 in 2011 to 296 in 2013,” said Cde Kasukuwere in a speech read on his behalf by the Director for Environment and Natural Resources Management, Mr Tanyaradzwa Mundoga.
Cde Kasukuwere said the African Rhino continued to attract the world’s attention because of its precarious conservation status at both national and international levels.
“Rhinos are classified as endangered on the red list database of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature because their numbers are critically low and are threatened with extinction,” he added.
“A concerted and co-ordinated effort on the part of all key rhino stakeholders is crucial if the policy is to be implemented fully and effectively. I would like to allude that there are significant signs of increased co-operation and collaboration among stakeholders over the past years of which the 500 Kilometres Walk is an example of the co-operation and collaboration,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
“We are continuing to carry out joint law enforcement patrols and co-operation with other law enforcement agencies such as the Zimbabwe Republic Police and patrol details on private land,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
He applauded Mr Nkomo for his plans to carry out the campaign.
“I would like to encourage various stakeholders including families that live along the Matopos-Victoria Falls route to support him,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
He, however, said more needed to be done in order to deal with a complete supply chain of rhino horns and weapons used in rhino poaching.
He said transit points and the demand side of the rhino horn should be adequately attended to.
Cde Kasukuwere revealed that Africa had a total of 5 055 black and 20 450 white rhinos by the end of 2012.
Mr Nkomo’s campaign, dubbed the 500km Rhino Awareness Walk, will start on 14 September ending on 18 October 2014.
Mr Nkomo said he was touched by the reckless killing of wildlife such as elephants and rhinos.
“We should know that animals have a heart and they also lead a life like humans do, so there is no need to kill them they are part of the ecosystem. It is therefore important to understand them and distinguish a healthy relationship with them,” he said.
He said he was going to walk about 20 kilometres a day until he gets to Victoria Falls where Cabinet ministers are set to join him in the last part of the journey.
The tour guide said he decided to walk the 500 kilometres after being challenged by a Kenyan man who walked 900 kilometres in his campaign to protect wildlife.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive officer, Mr Karikoga Kaseke, and Bulawayo mayor Martin Moyo also applauded Mr Nkomo’s initiative.
Mr Kaseke donated $1000 towards the campaign. Some of the proceeds of the campaign would go to charity.
