Despite the economic stabilization of Zimbabwe and all the promise Africa held for hosting FIFA World Cup in 2010, poaching on the ground in all of Southern Africa is still ongoing, both commercially as well as subsistence poaching of wildlife for meat.  Africa is seeing the largest spike in illegal commercial ivory and rhino horn poaching in years.  With South Africa seeing more than 330 rhino poached in 2010, the peril of wildlife is on the rise. 

Here in Victoria Falls, the number of wildlife from which we removed snares that were for subsistence poaching were only 22 animals in 2009 compared to 52 in 2008.  Nonetheless, commercial poaching overall has increased in the area, both with the amount of Rhino being targeted in nearby Hwange National Park, as well as the number of elephant affected just around Victoria Falls itself.  We are working together with National Parks to contain these commercial poachers in our vicinty.

What did 2010 hold for poaching in the Victoria Falls Region?  As of December we had darted twelve warthogs, seven buffalo, four elephant, three impala, one kudu, one zebra and one lioness for snare removal in Zimbabwe.  One of the warthogs we have darted twice within a three week span, both times it was caught in a wire snare.

Additionally, we assisted the Painted Dog Conservation Project in February when we saw a badly injured Painted Dog (endangered species) at Hwange Main Camp limping.  We darted the animal a few days later and immediately took it to a vet who did an operation to put a pin in the broken leg and remove a massive tumor from the animal’s genitals.  Unfortunately, due to infection the leg had to be amputated shortly thereafter.  However, the dog has recovered well and was released back into the wild with the rest of its pack in the first week of April. 





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