The Sunday News
Fairness Moyana, recently in Victoria Falls
PLAYERS in the wildlife sector should consider coming up with a fund to assist people who are left after their relatives are killed in human-wildlife conflicts.
The country has of late seen an increase in human deaths as a result of human-wildlife conflict being exacerbated by drought.
Addressing an African Wildlife Consultative Forum on Wednesday in Victoria Falls, Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said there were many children who were being orphaned due to deaths associated with human-wildlife conflicts.
“I implore you to consider ways of assisting the orphans that continue to rise as a result of human-wildlife conflict and this may be in the form of a resolution from this gathering. Our success stories must be broadcast to the entire world to counter the negative forces that always fight us,” said Minister Ndlovu.
He urged players to speak with a common voice to ensure communities benefit economically and socially from the natural resources in the face of opposition from international organisations.
“My expectations from this meeting are that we should all speak with one language. Our utilisation methods may differ — photographic tourism for some, consumptive for other and still others who use the wildlife as sources of nutrition. At the end of the day we seek to ensure that people benefit economically and socially from our natural resources under our stewardship,” he said.
According to Zimparks, more than 20 people have been killed by stray wildlife, mostly elephants. Overcrowding in Hwange National Park has contributed to destruction of vegetation in a park that can handle 15 000 elephants against a population of 53 000. This has resulted in habitat loss and food shortages which has forced the jumbos to stray into communal areas in search of water and food.
Minister Ndlovu took a swipe at those who were claiming to have a humanitarian approach to conservation but ignored human deaths caused by human-wildlife conflict. He called upon the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species to make decisions based on science and not politics.
“We gather here today in the shadow of the recently held COP 18, a very noble inter-state organisation, regrettably now firmly captured by non-state actors. We continue to face challenges there and while we did not win the battle, the war rages on. Sadc countries argued that the convention is not aligned with other international sovereignty, inclusive and equitable development and rights of local communities living with wildlife to use those resources sustainably.”
The outcome of the CITES COP18 left many African countries reeling under the restrictive measures adopted by the meeting which imposed bans on wildlife threats citing depletion.
