Eight fresh elephant carcasses have been discovered in Hwange National Park in what is suspected to be a new case of cyanide poisoning.
Parks and Wildlife Management Authority public relations manager Ms Caroline Washaya Moyo yesterday said the carcasses recently discovered were barely a day old. "Eight more carcasses have been discovered in Hwange National Park and seven dead vultures were also found. We suspect that this is a fresh case of poisoning. However, we cannot reveal more details as investigations into the matter are still in progress," she said.
Recently three of the eight poachers arrested for spawning the Hwange ecological disaster after poisoning water holes and salt pans with cyanide pellets were jailed for an effective 16 years each.
Villagers from Chief Siphoso's area in Tsholotsho District confessed to making a living out of poisoning elephants with cyanide and resolved to give up the practice and work with authorities in conserving wildlife. The villagers told a seven-member ministerial delegation led by Environment, Water and Climate Minister Saviour Kasukuwere at Pumula Village under Chief Siphoso, that the breaking down of the Campfire programme, council and parks services led some of them to resort to poaching.
Pumula Village is about 87km from Tsholotsho Centre and is the area where cyanide poisoning of elephants was rife.
Read more on the poisoning of elephants in Hwange here:
Hwange cyanide syndicate's history of poaching uncovered(10 october 2013)
Zimbabwe declares war on poachers after cyanide used in Hwange National Park (3 October 2013)
Read more about the region in our destination guide:
Hwange
Read more on elephants from the Zambezi Traveller:
Elephants
No comments:
Post a Comment