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Batoka readies to open refurbished Zambezi Sands River Lodge

Published

4 years ago

August 8, 2022

BY OWN CORRESPONDENT

Batoka Hospitality, a luxury ecotourism and community development group, is preparing to open the doors of its magical Zambezi Sands River Lodge, offering visitors five-star luxury in the heart of Zimbabwe’s rich natural landscape.

Just one hour from the magnificent Victoria Falls, the newly renovated resort is nestled in the stunning western end of Zambezi National Park and offers guests unrivalled luxury in one of the world’s most breathtaking natural settings.

As the first black female-owned Safari Lodge in Africa, Batoka Hospitality is reinventing the way the world views African hospitality.

“We are empowering the African dream of success through ecotourism and hospitality,” said Vimbai Masiyiwa, executive director of Batoka Hospitality.

“At Batoka, people come first: whether it is our staff, our guests or the community surrounding us.

“As much as we enrich the lives of our guests through a truly authentic African experience, we want to create self-sustaining villages and economic growth for the communities around us.”

The opening of the property will coincide with the launch of Tesse Fund.

The fund will be financed by 10 percent of the revenue made from each guest stay.

The purpose of the fund is for staff members within the Batoka Hospitality family to come up with projects that benefit their local community.

The destination’s 10 beautiful tented suites have been redesigned by renowned South African interior designer Yvonne O’Brien, known for creations which are understated, personal and quietly refined.

Each of the suites has a private plunge pool and spectacular views of the Zambezi River.

For GCC travellers, a two-bedroom suite, complete with private swimming pool, lounge and dining room and deck will be available for those desiring more privacy and an opulent home away from home experience.

The natural materials and tones O’Brien and her team have brought to the Batoka Zambezi Sands River Lodge blend seamlessly into the Victoria Falls landscape, where breathtaking vistas greet guests from every suite.

Bedrooms are styled as large African style tents offering exceptional views from the huge veranda to the soundtrack of the area’s magical wildlife.

The boardwalks that interlink each tent with the main dining area and bar offer protection from wandering hippos who often spend at least part of the night feeding in and around the camp.

The lodge’s elegant bar, lounge and dining area sit above the river, the stilted structure surrounded by the area’s lush wild landscapes.

Decorated with stylish teak furniture, wooden flooring, pewter ornaments and leather chairs and sofas, it is quintessential African meets luxury.

Outside, an expansive deck has dining tables and a sunken fire pit where pre dinner drinks are the order of the day.

More than just a safari destination, Zambezi Sands River Lodge offers guests an array of activities without even leaving the estate.

In addition to the resort’s spa and fitness centre, guests can enjoy a wide range of activities which include game drives along the river and inland, game walks with an experienced professional guide and day or sunset river boat cruises.

In 2020 Batoka Hospitality acquired 100 percent ownership of the former Zambezi Sands River Camp and its sister attraction, the Gorges Lodge.

Sustainability and local employment are at the heart of the resort’s mission, enabling guests to experience true African culture and hospitality with as little harm to the environment as is possible.

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Hwange lion DNA helps convict poachers for first time

Published

23 hours ago

February 23, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY BBC

Lion DNA has been used to successfully prosecute poachers for the first time in the world, it has emerged.

Wildlife crime experts have only just revealed how they were able to identify the individual animal from body parts found in a suspect’s village, as they matched a profile on Zimbabwe’s lion database.

A blood sample had previously been taken from the male lion, which was being tracked by authorities in Hwange National Park – using a radio collar.

Two poachers were convicted for the 2024 incident and sent to prison in what is thought to be the first prosecution of its kind.

The details of the convictions and the role the DNA database played have been previously unknown.

Non-governmental organisation (NGO) Traffic, which works to combat the illegal trade in wildlife, has shared the detail with us.

In May 2024, authorities in Hwange National Park became suspicious after a radio collar worn by a male lion stopped working.

Investigators and police traced its last known position and found a snare with lion fur attached to it.

After collecting forensic evidence they questioned two men in a nearby village and discovered three sacks of meat, 16 lion claws and four teeth. These body parts would later be tested against the database, with the DNA from all matching the profile of that missing lion.

But possessing lion parts is not necessarily a crime in Zimbabwe.

Having them can be explained away as old, traditional ornaments or as coming from an animal that died of natural causes.

This has been an obstacle to prosecutions in the past.

But thanks to a breakthrough in DNA profiling, that’s now changed.

The lab generated a DNA profile from the recovered body parts and compared this to the profile previously generated from a blood sample of the lion with the radio collar.

The two profiles matched and scientists were able to identify the specific missing animal.

Over the last eight years the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust (VFWT) has received about £250,000 from the People’s Postcode Lottery in the UK to build up the DNA database of lions in Zimbabwe.

The scientist at the trust, who made the discovery, asked to remain anonymous for his own safety, but said:

“Before we had access to this technology, we were only able to do species identification, but sometimes that’s not enough.

“We can essentially match those claws or those products to the lion of interest that we are looking for.”

Within 10 days of the killing, the DNA evidence was presented in court.

Two men pleaded guilty and were given 24 month prison sentences.

The hearing was told the value of the lion was about $20,000.

Richard Scobey, Traffic’s executive director, said “countries now have the forensic capability to bring, solid science-based evidence to court” and that it will have global impact.

This is understood to be the first time that DNA from an individual lion has been identified and used to prosecute poachers.

Professor Rob Ogden has been closely involved in setting up the project and is co- founder of the organisation Trace, which promotes the use of forensic science in wildlife law enforcement.

He says the prosecution gives “a message of hope” and shows what can be done using a combination of training, research and development and forensic casework.

Recent figures suggest an increase in the number of lions being killed for their body parts which are then sold both as cultural objects in Africa and for traditional Chinese medicine.

It is thought the rise may be down to organised crime gangs also involved in the illegal trade in Rhino horn and ivory trafficking.

In Mozambique between 2010 and 2023, 426 lions were killed as a result of contact with humans with a quarter linked to deliberate poaching.

A measure of the scale of the trade is also the number of seizures by the authorities in recent years.

That includes 17 lion skulls found in Lusaka in 2021, reportedly en-route from South Africa, and a 2023 seizure in Maputo of more than 300kg of lion body parts.

Which is why this breakthrough on DNA identification is seen as sending an important message to would-be poachers.

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Nominations open for 2026 Tusk Conservation Awards

Published

4 days ago

February 20, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

Nominations have opened for the 14th edition of the Tusk Conservation Awards, offering global recognition and £225,000 (about UGX 1.1 billion) in grant funding to Africa’s leading conservationists.

The awards, held in partnership with Ninety One, celebrate African-led solutions protecting wildlife, landscapes and livelihoods. Three winners will be selected from hundreds of nominations across the continent and honoured at a ceremony expected to be held in London later this year.

This year’s prize money will be distributed across three categories: £100,000 (UGX 480 million) for the Prince William Award, £75,000 (UGX 360 million) for the Tusk Award, and £50,000 (UGX 240 million) for the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award.

Speaking at last year’s awards, Tusk’s Royal Patron, Prince William, said communities and local conservation leaders often provide the most practical solutions to sustaining biodiversity and natural landscapes.

“It is so often communities and local conservation leaders who provide the practical solutions to how we can best sustain our precious natural landscapes and vital biodiversity,” he said. “Identifying and supporting locally-led conservation has always been at the heart of Tusk’s ethos.”

Since their launch in 2013, the awards have recognised 61 winners and finalists from 23 African countries. Past recipients have used grant funding to expand ranger patrols, secure wildlife corridors, equip community conservancies and create sustainable livelihoods linked to conservation.

Examples of supported initiatives include protecting gorillas in eastern Congo, conserving turtles in Sierra Leone, restoring forests in Madagascar and dismantling poaching syndicates in Zimbabwe. Organisers say the funding is designed to be catalytic, enabling winners to scale their impact and attract long-term investment.

Nick Bubb, Chief Executive Officer of TUSK, said the awards highlight the courage and commitment of individuals working in challenging and often dangerous conditions.

“We encourage anyone who knows an individual or ranger team who has made a significant impact on wildlife conservation to nominate them for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have their achievements recognised on a global stage,” Bubb said.

In a significant development this year, the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award has been expanded to recognise ranger teams alongside individual rangers, reflecting what organisers describe as the collaborative nature of modern conservation efforts.

The expanded category aligns with Tusk’s broader ranger programmes, including the Wildlife Ranger Challenge and the Ranger Welfare and Standards Initiative, which supports more than 6,200 rangers with training, equipment and insurance.

Nominations are open to conservation leaders across Africa and do not require nominees to be existing Tusk partners. However, individuals cannot nominate themselves and must be put forward confidentially by someone familiar with their work.

Nominations will close on the 26th of April and must be submitted online.

National

Government launches nationwide dog vaccination drive amid surge in rabies cases

Published

6 days ago

February 18, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

The Government has launched an urgent nationwide dog vaccination campaign following a surge in rabies cases across Zimbabwe.

In a statement posted over the weekend, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development said the country is experiencing a significant rise in rabies infections, largely linked to domestic dogs and wild jackals.

Permanent Secretary Prof. Obert Jiri confirmed that 650,000 doses of rabies vaccine have been secured from Botswana — exceeding the country’s usual annual requirement — to contain the escalating threat.

The Ministry said the campaign will be rolled out in the coming weeks across all provinces, targeting hotspots near national parks and conservancies, as well as urban areas that have recorded increasing cases.

Prof. Jiri stressed the urgency of seeking immediate medical attention following dog bites, warning that rabies is fatal in humans once symptoms appear.

He appealed to dog owners to ensure their pets are vaccinated, saying collective action remains the primary defence against the deadly disease and is critical in preventing further fatalities.