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ZCTF Report – September 2013
Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF)
September 16, 2013

Elephant cyanide poisoning

A gang of 6 poachers has allegedly poisoned 41 elephants with cyanide in Hwange National Park. The 6 poachers allegedly placed salt laced with cyanide around the water holes where the elephants drink. The elephants ate the salt and die from the poison. 17 tusks have been recovered by police and the 6 poachers have been arrested.

The other problem is that when other animals and birds feed on the rotting elephant carcasses, they will also die from the poison. Hundreds of animals are now at risk. The police suspect that there could be more elephant carcasses in the park that have not yet been discovered.

This is the disadvantage of overestimating the elephant population in Zimbabwe. The poachers read that Zimbabwe's elephant population far exceeds its carrying capacity and this encourages them to poach them. The punishment meted out to poachers who are caught, is not harsh enough to discourage them from re-offending. They need to be given some extensive jail time.

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