Tourism and Environment

For Zimbabwe’s black rhinos Covid-19 has been a godsend

Published

4 years ago

February 25, 2022

VicFallsLive

BY FORTUNE MOYO AND KUDZAI MAZVARIRWOFA

The coronavirus pandemic has been devastating to humans.

But to Zimbabwe’s black rhinos, it’s been a godsend.

Rhinos have no natural predators; humans are their greatest threat. Poachers kill rhinos to harvest their horns, which they smuggle to black markets in Asia for use in traditional medicine.

But international travel restrictions to stop the spread of the coronavirus — though crippling to Zimbabwe’s tourism sector — have significantly aided conservation of the country’s black rhinos, which officials designated as critically endangered in 2012.

The species saw a rare population boom in 2020, says Christopher Whitlatch, the communications director of the International Rhino Foundation, which is involved in the conservation of all five rhino species.

In southern Zimbabwe’s Bubye Valley, for example, which lost 71 rhinos to poachers during the two years preceding the pandemic, the population increased nearly 14% during the first half of 2020.

“Covid-19 really aided efforts to protect rhinos,” he says.

The poaching of Zimbabwe’s black rhinos reached its peak in 2019 and was beginning to decline due to increased anti-poaching measures, Whitlatch says.

Coronavirus restrictions acted as a catalyst.

Tinashe Farawo, the public relations manager at the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, says until 2019 poachers were killing rhinos nearly every day.

Authorities have had more than 10 armed confrontations in the past five years, Farawo says, some of which led to the deaths of rangers and suspected poachers.

Then, in 2020, nearly all poaching stopped.

International travel bans during the early days of the pandemic meant traffickers were unable to move rhino horn to markets, Whitlatch says.

That cut down on poachers but also led to a decline in tourism funds.

“The burden was placed on rangers, parks and conservancy staff,” he says.

“There was trouble replacing equipment, and salaries were cut.”

When the movement restrictions forced them to stay in place, rangers and other conservation staff decided to continue working.

To temporarily offset lost tourism revenue, the rhino foundation created the Reserve Relief Fund.

With about 1,000 animals, Zimbabwe has the fourth-largest population of black rhinos in the world, after South Africa, Namibia and Kenya.

The black rhino population boom in Zimbabwe is a bright spot amid myriad lockdowns that hurt conservation efforts worldwide, according to research published in the journal Biological Conservation.

Uganda’s protected Bugoma Forest saw an increase in the use of snares, which can kill or injure unintended animals like endangered chimpanzees.

And India reported a 500 percent spike in seizures of pangolins from people trafficking them for food and medicine.

Farawo, of the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, says officials knew some people might see the absence of tourists in parks as an opportunity to engage in illegal activities.

“When there are normal tourism activities, people can easily identify suspicious activities and alert the authorities,” he says.

The absence of that vital source of intelligence meant rangers had to work harder than normal, Farawo says.

They put protection mechanisms in place, including watching and defending the rhinos around-the-clock, moving herds to more secure areas and in some extreme cases dehorning rhinos so poachers have no interest in killing them.

Black rhino populations in Africa fell drastically during the last century due to European hunters and settlers, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Between 1960 and 1995, experts estimate that the number of black rhinos declined by 98%, to fewer than 2,500.

Due to increased conservation efforts, around 5,600 now exist.

Poaching continues to endanger the animals’ existence.

Raoul du Toit, a Zimbabwean environmentalist and director of the Lowveld Rhino Trust, says the country has experienced several surges in black rhino poaching over the years.

The most devastating was in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when poachers nearly decimated the black rhino population in the Zambezi Valley, which in the early 1980s had Africa’s largest rhino population.

To save the few survivors, the government and conservationists relocated them to former cattle ranches that had become unprofitable due to persistent droughts in southern Zimbabwe.

Around 90 percent of Zimbabwe’s black rhinos live on such conservancies.

Only now, the species faces a very different threat than that posed by European hunters during the 20th century.

“A flare-up of demand for rhino horn in Asia has created the perfect storm,” du Toit says.

Unproven medical claims in some southeast Asian countries that, when consumed in powder form, rhino horn can heal a variety of ailments, including cancer, drive the demand, he says.

A kilo of rhino horn can sell for as much as US$60,000 in the Asian black market.

But Whitlatch now sees a future for Zimbabwe’s black rhinos. Officials have assembled teams to monitor them and collect data to help determine the species’ overall health.

They’ve also deployed electronic tracking in some areas to provide real-time monitoring.

“It has not been easy, but it’s a success story,” Whitlatch says.

“Zimbabwe is a model of light to show what can be done to save rhinos.” – Global Press Journal

Related Topics:coronavirus International Rhino Foundation Zimbabwe’s black rhinos

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A guardian’s legacy: PDC honours Greg ‘Gibby’ Gibbard as painted dog successes grow

Published

2 weeks ago

April 9, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

In a poignant tribute that has resonated across the conservation community, Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) recently gathered to honour the memory of Greg ‘Gibby’ Gibbard, a man whose life was inextricably linked to the survival of the African wild dog. Gibbard, who passed away in 2015, is being remembered not just for his years of service, but for a legacy that continues to safeguard one of the continent’s most endangered predators.

The Facebook remembrance, shared by Maria of PDC, highlights a life defined by “unwavering courage” and a refusal to let the story of the painted dog end. While the region continues to grapple with intense poaching pressure—including a recent surge in illegal traps that has seen thousands of snares removed from the bush—the focus of this week’s memorial is on the “hope and resilience” that Gibbard instilled in the mission.

Tracking Footprints in the Sand

For those who knew him, Greg’s work was far from the polished image of modern wildlife tourism. It was characterized by “long days in the bush, tracking fading footprints in dust and sand,” and the relentless, often exhausting effort of “educating communities and inspiring young conservationists.”

Maria noted that Gibbard stood as a “guardian of a species that many had forgotten,” recognizing early on that the survival of the patchwork-coated dogs was “inseparable from our own future.” His dedication spanned “sleepless nights worrying about disease and disappearing habitat,” a commitment that laid the foundation for the sophisticated tracking and research operations used by PDC today.

A Legacy of Resilience: The Umkhonto Pack

The success of modern interventions is widely seen as a continuation of Gibbard’s vision. A primary example is the Umkhonto Pack, which has become a “flagship example of science-driven, field-based conservation”.

Image by PDC

Though the park faces ongoing challenges with illegal snaring in communal areas, the protection of this specific pack has been a resounding victory. According to the latest PDC data:

Eight healthy pups were successfully raised during the last denning season with no mortalities .
The pack has stabilized at 19 individuals , now ranging within the safety of Hwange National Park.
The integration of research and tracking technology—methods Gibbard championed—led to the arrest of eleven poachers in the pack’s territory.

The “Shadows of the Savanna” Live OnAs the conservation community marks a decade since his passing, the presence of these “remarkable predators” remains the ultimate tribute to his life. The current population in the Hwange and Sinamatela regions is robust, with several monitored packs carrying the torch of his efforts.

The Emerald pack, which has reached 22 individuals, and the Batsha pack , with 20 dogs, are thriving examples of the “unbreakable family bonds” Maria spoke of in her tribute . Other groups, including the Kingsbury, Linkwasha, Chowato, Cave, Intundla, Khumbula, and Garikamwe packs, continue to move like “shadows across the savanna at sunrise,” fulfilling Gibbard’s dream of a wilderness that still echoes with their high-pitched calls.

“May we honour Greg’s memory not only with words, but with action,” the tribute concluded.

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Tourism bill clears National Assembly, moves to Senate

Published

4 weeks ago

March 26, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Zimbabwe’s Tourism Act Amendment Bill has been passed by the National Assembly and now awaits debate in the Senate, marking a key step towards overhauling the country’s tourism sector.

According to the explanatory memorandum, “This Bill seeks to establish a Zimbabwe Tourism Authority that is responsible for the regulation for the tourism and hospitality industry, and the marketing of destination Zimbabwe.”

The proposed law strengthens the role of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), which will regulate, license and promote the industry. It also introduces stricter compliance measures for tourism operators.

Under the new provisions, registration and grading of facilities will be mandatory. The Bill states: “no person shall conduct or operate that designated tourist facility unless it is registered and graded.”

Authorities will also have enforcement powers, including shutting down non-compliant operators.

The legislation further extends regulation to online accommodation platforms, a growing segment in the tourism sector. It stipulates that: “All hosts must register with the Authority… before listing a property on an accommodation booking platform.”

To support industry growth, the Bill proposes the creation of a dedicated fund. It notes: “There is hereby established a fund to be known as the Zimbabwe Tourism Fund,” which will be used for “the development and promotion of the tourism and hospitality industry.”

Sustainability and inclusivity are also central to the new law. The Bill provides that: “All tourism policies, programs, and projects shall incorporate the principles of sustainable development.”

It further emphasises inclusion, stating that tourism development must mainstream “gender equality, disability inclusion, and the rights of indigenous peoples.”

Once enacted, the law will replace the current Tourism Act. The Bill clearly states it seeks “to repeal the Tourism Act [Chapter 14:20].”

The Bill now proceeds to the Senate, where lawmakers are expected to debate its provisions before it can be sent for presidential assent.

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MP probes Binga tourism, climate and conservation plans

Published

4 weeks ago

March 25, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

Binga South legislator, Fanuel Cumanzala has called for clarity on tourism development and environmental protection in the Zambezi Valley.

In a parliamentary hearing, Cumanzala asked the Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife:

“The plans the Ministry has in place to develop and promote tourism in Binga District, particularly around the Zambezi River, in order to enhance local economic development and create employment opportunities for residents.”

He added:

“The programmes being implemented to ensure that local communities in Binga District directly benefit from tourism.”

Further questions focused on sustainability and climate resilience:

“What measures are in place to ensure the protection and sustainable management of natural tourism assets in the Zambezi Valley, including wildlife, rivers and forests, in order to prevent environmental degradation.”

“The efforts being made to combat poaching in the Zambezi Valley, particularly in Binga District, and how local communities are being involved in wildlife protection initiatives.”

“The climate adaptation strategies being implemented to assist communities in Binga District in coping with droughts, floods, and other climate-related challenges affecting the Zambezi Valley.”

No ministerial responses were recorded.