From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 2000--


Clipping the wings of poachers in Zimbabwe

Your October 2000 cover feature "Hunters become trophies as
'boomers' fade away" was excellent. I am very familiar with much of the
content. Unfortunately, most African countries, including South Africa
and Zimbabwe, funnel money derived from their national parks and game
reserves into their general funds, rather than back to where it is earned.
The rationale is that the general fund then allocates money back to the
departments in charge of parks and reserves. But the amount returned is
miniscule compared to the sums generated.


For example, the government of KwaZulu-Natal province, South
Africa, recently cut the budget of the KwaZulu-Natal Depart-ment of Nature
Conservation by 40%, and advised that further cuts would be forthcoming.
As a result, the department limited its use of land vehicles to only about
1,500 kilometers per month (about one week's worth of driving), and could
no longer afford to fuel the Scout aircraft that the Wilderness
Conser-vancy had allowed it to use without charge for nearly 10 years.
Field staff moral went through the floor. That aircraft had put many
poachers out of business--especially along the border with Mozambique,
from whence many poachers come.


Earlier this year the aircraft was moved to Namibia with American
Carl Hilker, and will be used to provide support for Laurie Marker's
Cheetah Conservation Fund (subject of a December 1999 article in National
Geographic), and other conservation projects, governmental as well as
private.


In Eastern Cape province the situation is similar. I tried to
furnish the Eastern Cape Nature Conservation department with a Scout
aircraft a few years back, but by the time the provincial government
accepted the offer, many months later, the aircraft was already in use by
the National Parks Board in Kruger National Park.


The Wilderness Conser-vancy does, however, have one Scout
aircraft in Eastern Cape province, under management of Adrian Gardiner,
director of the huge privately owned Shamwari Game Reserve. Gardiner
eagerly accepted our offer, built a hangar and airstrip at the reserve,
and furnished a top pilot, fuel, and operating costs. The aircraft not
only patrols Shamwari but also is available to help patrol the provincial
reserves, both land and marine, as well as Addo Elephant Park, a
National Reserve.


Shamwari, incidentally, is where the Wilderness Conservancy
family of elephants resides. We bought this family from the National Parks
Board after they were slated to have been culled in 1996. That family,
including two juveniles, was relocated from Kruger to Shamwari, near Port
Elizabeth--a distance of 800 miles. Since the relocation, the family has
given birth to four calves. They are well out of harm's way, in a habitat
lush with food with a very suitable climate.


Then there is Zimbabwe. The Wilderness Conservancy found it
necessary to file a lawsuit in late 1999 against the government of
Zimbabwe, arising out of extensive damage done to our Scout aircraft while
it was under a free use agreement with the Zimbabwe Depart-ment of National
Parks and Wildlife Management. Under the agreement, the department was
required to keep the Scout airworthy. Instead it suffered at least $48,000
in unrepaired damage, and then-NPWM director Willas Makombe would not even
respond to my messages.


In addition, I had been informed by several very reliable sources
that our aircraft was being used to spot animals including elephants,
rhinos, and cheetahs during illegal hunts by government officials and
their friends. These were the very animals our aircraft was supposed to be
protecting.


Further, starting early this year, farms and game reserves were
invaded en masse by squatters and wildlife was killed to make room for
cattle. Farmers and workers who tried to protect wildlife were intimidated
and often killed. President Robert Mugabe refused to enforce court orders
in favor of the farmers.


We terminated our loan of the aircraft, brought it back to the
U.S. for repair, and--as I had required in our contract that California
law and California venue would apply in the resolution of any
disputes--sued the Zimbabwean government. When the suit was served,
Zimbabwe paid the full sum of damages.


Willas Makombe was fired, not only for this circumstance, but
also for much other malfeasance during his time in office.
The present turmoil in Zimbabwe has not been kind to wildlife. I
am certain that a change in government is needed--if change is possible.
As you know, there is much money to be made by politicians and others in
government from killing wildlife, and African politicians have before them
the examples of Jomo Kenyata of Kenya and Mobuto Seze Seko of the Congo,
who became among the richest men in the world from poaching their nations'
wildlife to near extinction.

--Robert N. Cleaves, JD, PhD.
President
Wilderness Conservancy
1224 Roberto Lane
Los Angeles, CA 90077
Telephone: 310-472-2593
Fax 310-476-7527
<wildcon@mail.instanet.com>

[Zimbabwe deputy director of National Parks and Wildlife Management
Vitalis Chadenga on September 23 told media that troops will soon be sent
to protect wildlife at the privately owned Save Valley Conservancy, the
largest wildlife reserve in the nation. Squatters have reportedly killed
at least 1,600 animals there since February.]

More Zimbabwe

We thought your readers might like an update on Black Jacques, the
Great Dane who was brutally beaten by the invaders of Rudolphia Farm in
April. His owner, Lesley Wind-rum, tells us that the splint was recently
taken off his leg. "The vet hopes to take out the pin later," Windrum
wrote.


"Black Jacques continues life with great courage, though his sight
is still in doubt," she continued. "His front legs have grown incredibly
powerful from supporting the rest of his body, and he finds his way around
familiar territory with ease. On our bad days he gives us wonderful
strength and love.


"We would like to thank you for assisting with the vet bills and
for taking his story to the world. Mini and Minstrel, the Ridgeback and
Labrador, are doing well. We feel they would be better off back on the
farm, but can only wait and hope."


The Windrums are now back on the farm. The occupiers remain, but
have moved their camp. Lesley has still not found the graves of the two
dogs who were killed, but the occupiers have told her that they regret
beating the dogs.


However, the land invasions continue, including the occupation of
protected wildlife areas and conservancies. Poach-ing and snaring occur on
a huge scale. Some animals have been translocated to safe havens, but
this is are costly, and invariably there are casualties. If this
slaughter continues, Zimbabwe's wildlife could be wiped out.
We wish to thank the Royal SPCA, South African National SPCA,
International Fund for Animal Welfare, Humane Society of the U.S., and
of course ANIMAL PEOPLE for the generous donations we have received to help
the animals of Zimbabwe during these months of crisis.

--Meryl Harrison
National Coordinator
Zimbabwe National SPCA
c/o Conroc (Pvt.) Ltd.
P.O. Box 470
Kadoma, Zimbabwe
conroc@samara.co.zw