Zimbabwe Seven

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Nov 11 2008 | By: zimbabwe7

Dear Readers

Every time I seem to get a moment to write a blog – I feel bad that the news always is so heart rendering. Today’s blog is unfortunately no different. In fact, it is devastating and marks an end of yet another chapter in what once was in this country.

Wednesday last week, I got an urgent plea for help from Theresa Warth of the Chiredzi River Conservancy – (there are three conservancies in Zimbabwe and the CRC is one of those three). Shots had been heard and when they were investigated the scouts reported that two adult bull elephants had knocked over a rural hut in the community. I use the word hut – as it was made out of poles, mud and has a straw roof, so the elephant was not too know that that was a house at all. The bulls had not hurt anyone, when they accidentally had knocked over this hut. Anyhow the villager’s reaction was an unwarranted outrage as very little damage was done and no one was hurt. The villagers, reported to the local District Attorney who then reported it to Parks. This is the chain of authority currently in Zimbabwe. However, this seems to be one of the areas where the communications break down.

As soon as I got to hear this story, I felt deeply responsible, as those bull elephants had already gone through another tragic event in their lives, this was not the first trauma they had experienced – but would be the last! In 1992/93 Zimbabwe perhaps had experience one of the worst droughts in her history. Animals were seen dying in every part of the country but no more so than in the Lowveld. Thanks to a very dedicated and devoted man by the name of Clem Coetzee, elephants were translocated. Clem had come up with a way to translocates family groups of elephants. So for three months I was privileged enough to work with Clem moving these family groups, which totalled 689 elephants that were moved. The two bulls we are talking about were part of one of those family units. By 1997 the three different groups of elephants had joined together to form one herd. From 1998 onwards the cows were mature enough to have calves. Since then they have breed very successfully, some of the cows have had up to 4 calves, one even having twins.

Since the land invasions, the CRC has lost most of the bulls and two cows that they know of. Two calves, died due to snaring, there is one juvenile still with a snare grown right into her foot. On Friday the CRC lost their last two adult bull elephants.

These two bulls have tried to co-exist, and adjust to the new Zimbabwe. Being adult wild elephant, should they at any point wanted to harm man; they would have, with out a second thought. With daily harassment, and their territory being reduced now on a daily basis as the settlers start to prepare the land for agricultural crops, it would not be difficult for the elephants to hurt anyone.

With the Chairman of the CRC, together with myself we worked daily to inform all the necessary authorities. We also got everyone to agree that should there be PAC (Problem Animal Control) required, we would find the funding to translocate whatever the animal was out of harms way so as to save its life. From Parks to the District Offices, everyone was in agreement, that should there be any animals causing disturbances in the conservancy then they would now be translocated and not shot. Too many unnecessary deaths are occurring on a daily basis here in Zimbabwe and we need to protect each and every animal. Finally on mid day Friday, after letters, proposals etc, it was agreed the bulls would live and they would be monitored. If at all there were any indications that they were moving into the villager’s space we would move them.

3 pm Friday Afternoon – report came in that one bull was shot dead and the other wounded!!!!!!!!
How does something like this happen? For the past three days I have repeatedly asked myself what on earth happened? We went to every person possible, yet this still happens. There can be no justice either, as those magnificent bulls are now dead. There is no way possible that we can right was has been wronged. This chapter is now over – death is final.

One of the bulls………

One of the bulls with a cow in the foreground who is part of a rehabilitation program

The bulls surveying the herd from across the water…..

Foraging with the herd……