africalegalbrief.com

Zimbabwe's national parks authority on Tuesday called for the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to lift the trade ban on ivory and rhino products, so as to reduce the increased poaching currently taking place in Zimbabwe as well as the region.

The Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said the trade ban on rhino and ivory products did not yield the desired effect of protecting the animals, but instead has seen an increase in poaching and lack of funds for conservation, hence the need for the international community to open up the market.

The Authority's Director General Vitalis Chadenga quoted by the state radio said the opening of the market for rhino horns will avail money for conservation and resources to fight poaching which has seen more than 500 rhinos being lost in the last few months.

Chadenga said efforts are being made to reduce poaching through a strong international and regional cooperation, stiff penalties of up to 25 years for perpetrators and strengthening the shoot to kill policy on poaching.

The Parks and Wildlife Management Authority controls 12.5 percent of the country's land with an elephant population of 100, 000 and a small rhino population of only 700.

The increase in the number of poachers is attributed to the international syndicate operating with sophisticated equipment which the responsible authority is failing to match.

Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia are permitted by Cites to engage in controlled trade in ivory and other elephant products. Conservationists want Zimbabwe to lose the privilege because of indiscriminate shooting of elephants in game parks seized by associates of President Robert Mugabe. The Zimbabwean Conservation Taskforce is investigating after 40 elephant legs were seen at a property owned by a senior government official. The animals had been stripped of their ivory and hide. Mr Rodrigues said he doubted they had been killed legally.

Mr Rodrigues wants Cites to see past the "inflated figures" and help put an end to the destruction of wildlife in Zimbabwe. "The [government] figures are wrong. This kind of exaggeration is meant to hoodwink Cites into allowing Zimbabwe to cull elephants," he said.

"Zimbabwe should not be allowed to trade in ivory and other elephant products because we don't have enough of the animals. It is corrupt government officials who want to benefit from illegal trade."

Mr Rodrigues said Cites should insist on a comprehensive survey of the elephant population via satellite before allowing Zimbabwe to continue with its ivory trade.