HARARE - Wildlife experts believe that hundreds of animals have been poached in Zimbabwe since the relaunch of President Robert Mugabe's land invasions soon after the formation of the inclusive government in February.
The ongoing slaughter, which includes supposedly protected species such as black rhinoceros, has wiped out an estimated 60 per cent of wildlife on privately owned game ranches and conservancies.Such areas have been overrun by thousands of settlers, who have stripped away game fences and used the wire to make snares, using the meat either for subsistence amid increasing hunger caused by dollarisation, food shortages in rural areas, or for commercial sale.
"This country's natural heritage is being decimated," said Johnny Rodrigues, of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force. "Unless the government restores law and order, we can ultimately kiss Zimbabwe's wildlife goodbye."
There is also evidence that rural authorities in some areas have sanctioned the shooting of game in order to feed the youth militia set up to terrorise political opponents by Mugabe's Zanu (PF) party during his campaign for re-election.
There are two main habitats for wildlife in Zimbabwe, commercial game
ranches, which earn their income from tourism and controlled hunting, and
which in some cases have joined together to form larger conservancies, and
National Parks.
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