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ZCTF Report - April 2012
Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF)
April 16, 2012

NEW ZCTF WEBSITE

We are very proud and delighted to announce that we have a beautiful, new, professional website. My daughter Brigitte Rodrigues, who lives in Scotland and is the CEO for ZCTF European Operations very kindly built the website for us as a valuable contribution to the preservation of wildlife in Zimbabwe. Thank you so much Brigitte - we are overwhelmed by your talent and generosity. Thank you also to David Scobie who has very kindly donated some of his music which can be downloaded from the website.

We would like to urge everyone to go into the website, www.zctfofficialsite.org and have a look at it. Please let us know what you think.

Although Brigitte built the site for us free of charge, she has decided to supplement her income by building websites so if anyone is interested, please email her on contact@zctfofficialsite.org

We are also now on Twitter so if you would like to receive updates of reports on the go please follow us at: https://twitter.com/#!/ZCTFOFFICIAL

TWO RHINO KILLED IN SAVE

It is with deep regret that we announce the death of two rhino in the Save Valley Conservancy. The rhinos were shot by poachers over the Easter weekend.

CHIREDZI RIVER CONSERVANCY

Sadly, we don't have any good news to report about the invasion of Chiredzi River Conservancy. The settlers are continuing their invasion and are building, cutting down and burning large trees and poaching. They have taken their cattle and dogs into all the wildlife areas and they are selling large quantities of wood along the Zaka tar road. One invader was fined $500 for cutting trees but this has not deterred him at all. He continues to chop trees down. Despite reports to the local police, they seem unable or unwilling to stop the invasions. The invaders are cutting trees and building shacks in the elephants' paddocks at Wasara Ranch. The conservators took their names and when questioned, they said they are being forced to do this by their leaders but they are too afraid to reveal their names. One elephant was hit by a car on the tar road a few nights ago. The conservators have been following its tracks and it looks as if it has rejoined the herd although there are signs that its back legs are dragging.

It would be a very simple matter for either the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources or National Parks to put a stop to this madness and we can't understand why they seem reluctant to do so. Extensive reports and photos have been tabled in parliament and still there is no change.

SENIOR PRISON OFFICER CAUGHT WITH TUSKS

A senior prison officer, Assistant Commissioner Apinos Mudzamiri was arrested last month after being caught with 4 elephant tusks as well as a quantity of marijuana. Madzimire was travelling in a car with 3 civilians when they became bogged down in the mud. The police became suspicious and searched the car, finding the tusks and the marijuana. The four occupants were arrested although one of the civilians managed to escape.

SHARON PINCOTT'S NEW BOOK

Sharon Pincott's latest book - Battle for the President's Elephants - has recently been released in South Africa. Despite having formed one of the most remarkable relationships with wild elephants said to ever have been documented, Sharon's battles in Hwange to keep them safe never seem to end. When I asked Sharon about her book, she responded: "I found when writing, that I needed to balance the preposterous with some wonder, and so there are more in-depth stories than previously told, about how my intimate relationships with some of these elephants came about, intermingled with amusing wildlife tales. And then there are the battles, like the spy allegation, and finding myself on the police wanted-person's list, combined with the neglect of the land, and having one of Zimbabwe's hoteliers controversially throw me out of my home and attempt to stop my work. Also covered is the encouraging reaffirmation of the Presidential Decree by President Mugabe last year, but also what this really means if companies are permitted by the government to negatively impinge on the welfare of this flagship herd. There's also the fun times with the documentary filmmakers, and still more preposterous episodes that occurred, despite the presence of this film crew. It's an eye-opening read, but also a laugh in many of the stories. You can read some short extracts on www.sharonpincott.com"

On the back-cover of this book is a photograph that everyone should see. Taken by the filmmakers who were with her last year, it is an amazing photo of Sharon kissing one of the wild Presidential Elephants. (This one-hour documentary - titled All the President's Elephants - will premiere on South African television probably in June, before being distributed around the world. I'm told that the prelude to this kiss, is part of the film.) Sharon's book is widely available in bookshops throughout South Africa and will also soon be available from sites such as amazon.com, and also bookdepository.com which offers free world-wide delivery. In Harare, there is an ordering service at the Mukuvisi WEZ shop. We wish Sharon, and the elephants, every success in raising vital awareness, and with her ongoing voluntary work in Hwange.

HELP SAVE THE RHINO

Avaaz has launched a petition to try and help save the rhino. Their petitions are reputed to be very successful so we would encourage everyone to please sign this petition.

Dear friends,

The rhino is being hunted into extinction and could disappear forever unless we act now. Shocking new statistics show 440 rhinos were brutally killed last year in South Africa alone - a massive increase on five years ago when just 13 had their horns hacked off. European nations could lead the world to a new plan to save these amazing creatures but they need to hear from us first!

Fueling this devastation is a huge spike in demand for rhino horns, used for bogus cancer cures, hangover remedies and good luck charms in China and Vietnam. Protests from South Africa have so far been ignored by the authorities, but Europe has the power to change this by calling for a ban on all rhino trade - from anywhere, to anywhere - when countries meet at the next crucial international wildlife trade summit in July.

The situation is so dire that the threat has even spread into British zoos who are on red-alert for rhino killing gangs! Let's raise a giant outcry and urge Europe to push for new protections to save rhinos from extinction. When we reach 100,000 signers, our call will be delivered in Brussels, the decision-making heart of Europe, with a crash of cardboard rhinos. Every 50,000 signatures will add a rhino to the crash - bringing the size of our movement right to the door of EU delegates as they decide their position. Sign the petition below then forward this email widely:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_rhinos/?tta

So far this year one rhino has been killed every day in South Africa, home to at least 80% of the world's remaining wild rhinos. Horns now have a street value of over $65,000 a kilo - more expensive than gold or platinum. The South African Environment Minister has pledged to take action by putting 150 extra wardens and even an electric fence along the Mozambique border to try and stem the attacks - but the scale of the threat is so severe that global action is required.

Unless we act today we may lose this magnificent and ancient animal species permanently. Some Chinese are loudly lobbying for the trade in horn to be relaxed, but banning the trade in all rhinos will silence them. With the EU's leadership, we can bring these international gangsters to justice, put the poachers in prison, and push for public awareness programmes in key Asian countries - and end this horn horror show for good.

In the next few weeks, the EU will be setting its agenda for the next big global meeting in just a few months - our best chance of turning the tide against the slaughter. We know that rhinos will be on their agenda, but only our pressure can ensure they challenge the problem at its source. Let's build a giant outcry and deliver it in a spectacular fashion - sign now and together we can stop the slaughter across Africa:

In 2010, Avaaz's actions helped to stop the elephant ivory trade from exploding. In 2012, we can do the same for the rhino. When we speak out together, we can change the world - last year was the worst year ever for the rhino, but this can be the year when we win.

With hope,

Iain, Sam, Maria Paz, Emma, Ricken and the whole Avaaz team

We would like to thank Lindsay Jenions for allowing us to share her poem with you. This says it all!

I will NOT remember China for
The Great Wall or its economic boom
But instead as the nation that drove
Africa's rhino to extinction and doom

More than a billion Chinese
Bringing less than 22-thousand
Innocent rhino to their knees
They're all we've got left
On Africa's big continent

The clock ticks the seconds
In each short day
And in 2012 every 24 hours
Another of SA's precious rhino
Has its life torn away

440 poached 2011 in SA alone
Where 80% of the world's
Last wild rhino call home

I'm tired of a nation
Touting unfounded medicinal claims
Borne of their convenient selfish aims
That rhino horn cures from
A cough and a sneeze to all manner of moans
Including Aids, cancer and numerous
Other illogical groans

There was a time when China had rhino
But they're long gone now
Their horns ground to a fine powder dust
To feed this vast nation's
Incessant medicinal myth-lust

Today, to the Chinese I say
Please leave Africa's Rhino alone
This continent is their rightful home
Show respect, let them live long and free
As nature intended them to be
This magnificent animal, for all the future
Generations of the world's children to see

We don't poach your few
Protected treasured Pandas
Who at China's own hands
Met this same unfair fate
So STOP senselessly killing
Africa's last precious Rhinos
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

Tick-Tock...
Lest you forget...
Remember this clock...

By Lindsay Jenions
31st March 2012

POWDERED RHINO HORN

Rhino conservationists are outraged following an agreement made by five governments in Africa to grind rhino horn into a powder and sell it in pharmacies. The governments of the five countries involved in the Kavanga-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA), Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Angola and Botswana agreed that this would be the best way to eradicate the poaching of rhinos. They stated that the powdered rhino horn could be sold in pharmacies in their five countries.

We are strongly opposed to this because the buyers of the rhino horn would undoubtedly prefer to purchase the entire horn. It would be difficult to prove to them that the powdered version is genuinely rhino horn. There is also the problem of people from the Middle East who like to give their sons a dagger with a rhino horn handle upon reaching manhood. We believe this idea of powdering the horn is a complete waste of time and money and in addition to not achieving the objective, the rhino would be regularly subjected to dehorning. There are not enough rhino in the world to satisfy the market so we believe a total ban should be imposed on rhino horn trade and rhino hunting.

DEFORESTATION

Despite the fact that Zimbabwe has already lost over 400 million hectares to deforestation, the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources has now given 10 000 hectares of pristine forest in Chimanimani to settlers. It is a foregone conclusion that the settlers will do what they do best and chop all the trees down.

THANK YOU

A very big thank you to the following people who have assisted us with funds recently. If you have donated and your name is not mentioned, please let us know so we can follow it up:

Wolfgang Jobst
Sheila Johnson
Dennis Kitsman
Tony Petter-Bowyer
Bonnie Swift
Donald Tayloe
Debbie Topping

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