Rhino poaching unstoppable- Minister Nhema

By Jack Jiri

Published: September 23, 2011

Harare(ZimEye)-Environment and Natural Resources Minister Francis Nhema said the country was struggling to curb Rhino poaching owing to the complication of criminals who are working in cahoots with locals.

Minister Nhema who was reluctant to divulge countries where Rhino poachers originate from admitted that the country is overwhelmed by an influx of international sophisticated poachers who are decimating wild animals across the country.

An elephant killed by invaders at a conservancy in Chiredzi last month-FILE PHOTO

There are strong suspicions that some senior ZANU (PF) officials are conniving with Chinese nationals in poaching and smuggling rhino horns.

“I cannot tell you the names of those foreign nationals or their countries because i do not have them with me. You can go to National Parks and Wildlife Management if you want full information they do have them otherwise I might give you wrong information, ” Minister Nhema told Zimeye an interview, Thursday evening in Harare on the sidelines of World Rhino Day commemorations.

Nhema said last year alone the country lost 66 Rhinos.

“Halting these poachings is not an easy task, given that these criminals use high technology gear, including night vision equipment, veterinary tranquilisers’ silencers and helicopters as has been witnessed elsewhere in the region. If not stopped Zimbabwe and its neighbours’ rhino population will soon slide into critical levels, hence pushing them to the edge of extinction,” He said.

“The communities have been resisting giving information because sometimes they are part of the syndicate.” said Nhema.

162 persons including foreign nationals were last year arrested for poaching but Nhema would not disclose the nationalities saying that it was something that is still in the hands of the National Parks and Wildlife.

It is estimated that the country has a 700 population of rhinos and the numbers are dwindling due to the long held belief that the Rhino horn is used for medicinal purposes.

Areas such as the Zambezi Valley, Gonarazhou National Parks are some of the areas were people have been given land for resettlement.(ZimEye, Zimbabwe)