Sitting in Harare and reflecting on the start to this year has been a cathartic experience. As a wildlife and nature photographer there is nothing more important to me than preserving wild spaces and the wildlife that inhabit these areas. Over the past couple of years I have been involved in setting up anti poaching projects, running photographic safari’s, working as an instructor on the Bear Grylls Survival Course in Victoria Falls and in all of these places i have noted one thing – there is a sharp decline in the wilderness areas and an alarming drop in the amount of wildlife in Zimbabwe.
Last year we started thinking about what we can do as an organisation to help to stem the tide and what can be done to preserve all we have for future generations.
A good anti poaching plan is effective, however I felt did not address the scourge holistically. Education and development added to effective policing does though. So I started the Kariba Conservation Programme. It’s aim is to add value and directly benefit anti poaching efforts in Kariba and Matusadona through education, logistics and community involvement.
There are three points we are focussing on to create a holistic approach to conservation:
Education
We have been provided with a good 6 week conservation education programme to take into local Kariba schools. Rather than directing our energies indiscriminately we will focus mainly on creating conservation clubs in each school and then try and get the information and ideas of conserving our areas to filter out from there.
Secondly we will use the Kuburi conservation HQ site (on the shore of Lake Kariba) to facilitate outings where school children can come and put into action what they are learning in school.
Thirdly four day camps will be instituted over time, for free to teach fun bush activities such as bush craft, tracking and show the possible career paths in the world of conservation and tourism (what Kariba is known for).
Research
An MOU is being signed with Chinhoyi University to create a research facility at the site ( right next to the revamped dormitories) and this will allow for the collation of information from all areas of the lake as well as from all of the anti poaching units.
Kariba Conservation has started data collection of all animals and birds in the area. The myriad butterflies, termites and plants in the area show an extremely healthy ecosystem which has been affected by poaching activities.
Human/ Wildlife conflict in the area is now something which needs to be studied and the Head Researcher for Kariba Conservation is arriving from Canada to start conducting her research, this is going to be done through Chinhoyi University on a Masters degree pathway.
Anti Poaching
There is a unit called MAPP, run by Pegasus Wildlife Security Services which is a Zimbabwean anti poaching company. It’s headquarters are in Kariba, however operations will soon be opening up in Mana Pools, Ume Conservancy and other areas of Zimbabwe.
Logistics and finances are needed for equipment, extra personnel and rations and it is our aim to assist with this so as to expand their footprint into Kariba and our general area.
These three programmes are available as volunteer products for limited numbers of volunteers. Construction of our volunteer camp is imminent and accommodation will be in the form of tents and tree houses. Anti Poaching volunteers will be in the field for multiple days and their accommodation will consist of both two man tents and specific anti poaching personnel accommodation.
For more information on this please either go to Dusty-Rhodes, Kariba Conservation Facebook accounts and as soon as the Kariba Conservation Website is constructed I will post the URL on both Word Press and Facebook.
Stay tuned for updates on exciting stories and adventures which we are having every day. The photography and video opportunities are amazing and we are blessed to be still camping in such a wild area for two months so far.
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Nigel
Nigel Kuhn 