SNARE SWEEP WEEK ENDING 13 August 2011

2 Snare sweeps were done during the course of last week.

A backup sweep was done earlier in the week in a section of the Nyanyana area where National Parks had recovered a huge amount of snares. A further 40 snares were retrieved and these are mostly Impala snares. There was also evidence of Impala Carcass left.

Remember 15 or more years ago when these lovely animals were in huge numbers in the Kariba area. You would always see them, Water buck, Buffalo, Elephant, Bush pigs, Zebra on the Powerline clearouts as you drove on the Kariba roads and by the Airport. Now you see only Elephants, Buffalo and Zebra and these in much smaller herds than they used to be. Except for the Zebra which have increased BUT sadly will be on the decrease, when you read below, if we do not continue with these snare sweeps on a huge capacity.

Another sweep was done in the Quarry area, this sweep was not completed and will be completed this week. 21 Snares were retrieved and a carcass of a Zebra and a Buffalo that have been there 2 to 3 weeks, found.

This is on our door step as are all the other sweeps that have been conducted and will continue.

We, along with National Parks Rangers are now initially conducting snare sweeps 3 times a week. We are receiving small amounts of financial help from Well-wishers towards the cost of this. At present the vehicle and driver are once again so kindly being given by a Kariba Resident until we have purchased a vehicle for this as well as the Trackers we have working with the National Parks Scouts/Rangers. 1 Tracker is being paid by KAWFT.

We obviously need more funding for this or..... A donation of a vehicle..... As well as enough to cover the costs, fuel, salaries for trackers, uniforms, boots etc.

If anyone knows of a decent, older Toyota Pickup, preferably 4x4. It needn't be pretty looking as she will be working her guts out in the bush, but it does need to be in relatively sound or repairable condition.

We sincerely hope these Snare Sweep updates hit home to our Kariba Residents as well as Businesses, Tour Operators, Boat owners and visitors to Kariba, that this is not by any means a small problem that will go away, but that it is a HUGE poaching problem that is growing daily. We need to take control of it so it can be kept to a bare minimum as it is something we all know will never end until there is no more game left in this area as is on the other side of the Zambezi river.

If you can help in any way at all or require any more information from us please email kawf2011@gmail.com - Kariba Animal Welfare Fund

Thank You!


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