John D Hwange
New member
Highly reliable reports have emerged that Zimbabwe's Parks and Wildlife Field Rangers and ZR Police at Victoria Falls are contacting Zambian based poachers transiting the western tip of Zimbabwe making their way to or back from, lucrative elephant poaching forays into Botswana.
These poachers shoot first at night when confronted by Z R police and P&WL patrols. In two recent contacts poachers have been killed, weapons and ivory recovered - some 20 tusks in one incident alone of which a pair were in the 50lbs a side category. Some wounded poachers have died in the Zambezi River after contacts. In one bizarre incident a cruise boat with tourists on board above the Falls went to get a close look at a crocodile feeding frenzy and discovered the crocs where busy pulling a dead, presumably Zambian, poacher's remains to pieces!
There is good operational liaison between Botswana and Zimbabwe but a total lack of co-operation from Zambia. It is clear Zambian police and even political collusion with the poachers is the problem. It was the same back in the 1980's when Zambia was the base for Black Rhino poaching syndicates operating across the middle and lower Zambezi.
The urgent factor is the Zim Parks and Wildlife staff and the local ZR Police details need regular refresher combat and weapon training and this costs time and money. If anyone is keen to make any donations there is an NGO Trust Fund at Vic Falls that will utilize the funds in an effective manner - I will be happy to put African Hunting Readers/followers in touch with the Trust directly.
These poachers shoot first at night when confronted by Z R police and P&WL patrols. In two recent contacts poachers have been killed, weapons and ivory recovered - some 20 tusks in one incident alone of which a pair were in the 50lbs a side category. Some wounded poachers have died in the Zambezi River after contacts. In one bizarre incident a cruise boat with tourists on board above the Falls went to get a close look at a crocodile feeding frenzy and discovered the crocs where busy pulling a dead, presumably Zambian, poacher's remains to pieces!
There is good operational liaison between Botswana and Zimbabwe but a total lack of co-operation from Zambia. It is clear Zambian police and even political collusion with the poachers is the problem. It was the same back in the 1980's when Zambia was the base for Black Rhino poaching syndicates operating across the middle and lower Zambezi.
The urgent factor is the Zim Parks and Wildlife staff and the local ZR Police details need regular refresher combat and weapon training and this costs time and money. If anyone is keen to make any donations there is an NGO Trust Fund at Vic Falls that will utilize the funds in an effective manner - I will be happy to put African Hunting Readers/followers in touch with the Trust directly.
