Despite the economic stabilization of Zimbabwe and all the promise Africa holds for hosting FIFA World Cup this year, 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 the Eastern Transvaal region of South Africa seeing more than 100 rhino poached in 2009, 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.

So the question arises, what will 2010 hold for poaching in the Victoria Falls Region, where can WHWT have the most impact?  As of this month we have already darted eleven warthogs, four buffalo, two elephant and two impala for snare removal in the town of Victoria Falls.  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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