The wildlife population in Zimbabwe is under serious threat. The only
hope is for sanity to return to the country before complete extinction of
many of the wildlife species. This is the view of a prominent figure in
the Zimbabwe conservation field. Due to sensitivity of his views he wishes
to remain anonymous.

In an alarming letter to Farmer™s Weekly he describes how poaching and
even legal hunting is decimating the game population in the country. While
some game may be surviving, he said, they are very frightened and are
difficult to see, let alone approach.

We have the additional problem in that the DNP (Parks) has bowed down to
politics and have issued ‘permits’ for certain people to hunt on their
allocated plots, even though the farmer-owner is still there. Looking at
some of the figures, the numbers are completely unsustainable and we do
know of some who have turned it into a massive meat-harvesting business,
completely disregarding the ‘quotas’. They are looked after as long as the
right people get the meat,’ he said.

Giraffes are probably the hardest-hit animals because they are easiest to
hunt with dogs and snares and give a huge amount of meat in one go. Others
are eland, impala and wildebeest, of which very few will be found. As soon
as a pocket of game is identified the poachers move in, he said. Izak
Hofmeyr

Sometimes our lobbying does get through. This was taken from my wildlife
document which Doug took overseas, and which I subsequently circulated to
selected press. Obviously, the 8-page document was too much to publish,
but at least it did get a mention, as well as in their Weekly Quotes
column, below:

“The only hope is for sanity to return to the country before complete
extinction of many of the wildlife species.” – Prominent figure in
Zimbabwean conservation, in a letter sent to Farmer’s Weekly describing
how poaching and even legal hunting is decimating the game population in
the country.

From: FARMER’S WEEKLY 9 JULY 2004