Connect with us

Slider

IFAW country director reveals plans to introduce sniffer dogs at Victoria Falls airport

Published

on

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is planning to introduce snifter dogs at the Victoria Fails International Airport to detect wildlife products like ivory.

Advertisement

This was revealed by IFAW Country Director, Aleta Nyawuye, at a handover ceremony of two Land Cruisers and a K9 dog unit to Zimparks in Victoria Falls towards the end of last year.  On the sidelines of the event Nyawuye said, “So, there are a number of types of dogs that are used in detecting crimes. This particular type of dog that we are partnering with Zimparks is called the blue ticker hound.”

Nyawuye emphasized the importance of addressing transboundary crimes, saying, “What we need to do progressively is to be able to deal with transboundary crimes… Because crime is not only confined within the country, but it also traverses across borders.”

She noted that the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Park (KAZA) region, which spans across Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, and Namibia, is particularly vulnerable to such crimes.

Advertisement

Nyawuye explained that the introduction of sniffer dogs at the Victoria Falls International Airport is part of a broader strategy to combat wildlife crime. “So, what we need to do going forward is to be able to have specific types of sniffer dogs at the international airport Victoria Falls that are able to detect stuff like ivory or any other animal product that is not supposed to be leaving this country.”

She acknowledged that the planning stages are still underway, saying, “When I say we are going to implement this, we are still at the planning stage. This is a long-term intervention that we are planning because this also goes with a rapid response unit.”

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Slider

Zimparks launches elephant culling program

Published

on

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

In a bid to address the growing elephant population in Save Valley Conservancy, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has issued permits for a controlled elephant management exercise.

Advertisement

The exercise, slated to commence shortly, aims to cull an initial 50 elephants from the conservancy, which is currently home to 2,550 elephants – more than three times the ecological carrying capacity of 800 elephants.

According to ZimParks, the conservancy has been struggling to cope with the swelling elephant population, which has put a strain on the wildlife habitat and resources. Over the past five years, the conservancy has translocated 200 elephants to other areas, including Hurungwe and Sapi, in an effort to manage the population.

Zimparks says the controlled culling exercise is expected to provide relief to the conservancy’s ecosystem, while also benefiting local communities.

Advertisement

Elephant meat from the exercise will be distributed to local communities while the ivory will be kept by the State.

In a statement, ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo emphasized the authority’s commitment to responsible and sustainable wildlife management.

“We remain committed to ensuring that our wildlife resources are managed in a responsible and sustainable manner, for the benefit of present and future generations.”

Advertisement

Continue Reading

In the community

Hwange police seek public’s help in locating missing teen

Published

on

BY STAFF REPORTER 

The Hwange police are urgently seeking the public’s assistance in locating 16-year-old Latoya Lisa Munkuli, who went missing on May 7, this month.

Advertisement

Latoya, a dark-complexioned female juvenile, was last seen leaving her residence in Hwange around 4 pm.

She was wearing a distinctive outfit consisting of green trousers and a white T-shirt, and carried a black satchel. She stands approximately 1.6 meters tall.

Inspector Glory Banda of the Hwange police is leading the investigation and urges anyone with information about Latoya’s whereabouts to come forward.

Advertisement

If you have any information about Latoya’s disappearance, please contact Inspector Banda on 0785961747 or 0771256607.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

on

BY WANDILE TSHUMA 

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

Advertisement

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2022 VicFallsLive. All rights reserved, powered by Advantage