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Conservation Task Force Report
Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF)
August 18, 2004

Slaughter in Matetsi
We have just received an extremely disturbing report from someone who has just returned from the Matetsi area. The details are a bit sketchy at this stage but we are waiting for updates and photos.

Our informant has been working up in the Matetsi for the past few weeks and he met up with some South African hunters while he was there. He started speaking to them and was told that they were engaged in a massive hunting expedition on a game ranch or conservancy which he thinks previously belonged to Bill Cummings and has now been taken over by settlers. He was invited to go and see their "kills" which he did. When he arrived on the property, he saw a large number of Landcruiser type vehicles with South African number plates and several tents pitched up. He says these people are literally on a killing spree.

Amongst the carcasses he saw were lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, kudu, sable, impala and even baboon. He says there are dead impala hanging from the trees to attract the leopard. He was invited to the abattoirs which was full of game meat.

Our informant was told that one of the A2 settlers, a PTC worker was paid USD 50 000 by the hunters.

We are extremely concerned about this story because it could very well be happening in other places as well. Due to the absence of Law and Order in Zimbabwe, hunting quotas are not being adhered to and in any case, the quotas are based on fictitious numbers because it is not known how many animals are left here.

We intend to report this matter to the "authorities" for what it is worth and to propose banning South African hunters from coming into Zimbabwe altogether because they seem to be making money out of our desperate situation.

Under normal circumstances, we would immediately go up to Matetsi, accompanied by National Parks officials to ensure that something is done but our funds are completely exhausted after our last game relocation and we are now helpless.

Elephant population dispute
There has been a lot of controversy recently since National Parks announced that Zimbabwe has 100 000 elephants, a number which the country can't sustain and hence the need to cull.

Allegedly, 50 000 of these elephants are in the Hwange National Park but we have been receiving reports for the past 9 months that it is quite rare to see an elephant in Hwange. The tourists have been complaining about the lack of elephants, so where are the 50 000 elephants? The authorities have now explained that they are hiding in the "thick bush". One of the reasons they give for want to cull is that the elephants have destroyed the vegetation in Hwange so where then is the bush thick enough to hide 50 000 elephants?

New hunting lodge in Hwange
Katshana Lodge in Hwange, previously owned by Touch the Wild and which operated for decades as a photographic safari camp only, will now operate as a hunting lodge under the new ownership of Governor Orbert Mpofu.

Sable exported to Dubai
It has recently been reported that an extremely wealthy white tycoon in Zimbabwe intends to export sable to Dubai next month. It is alleged that the sable are to be used to persuade the Dubai government to allow Zimbabwe to open a diplomatic mission there.

Update on relocated Zebra
Finally, we do have some good news. We regularly check on the zebra which we relocated to a safe area earlier on this year and the last time we went there, we were delighted to discover that they are all very happy and healthy and the zebra that had a snare wrapped around her leg has given birth to a beautiful baby.

The ZCTF is no longer able to continue with relocation of animals under threat due to lack of funds and the slaughter of wildlife here continues unabated. Please take the time to read the horrifying article attached and if anyone can assist us with funds so we can continue our work, we will be extremely grateful.

Visit the ZCTF fact sheet

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