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Zimbabwe celebrates World Pangolin Day

Published

4 years ago

February 20, 2022

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Zimbabwe on Saturday joined the rest of the globe in celebrating World Pangolin Day with conservationists taking to social media to showcase the work they are doing to protect the endangered animal.

There are growing concerns that pangolins are nearing extinction due to trafficking of the animals to Asian countries where they are believed to be used for medicinal purposes.

On Facebook, local conservation group Wild is Life Trust posted a picture of a pangolin named Marimba, which is being kept at the sanctuary after its mother was killed by poachers for its scales.

Mateo nursing orphaned pangolin Marimba (Pic by Wild is Life Trust)

“The scales are used in Chinese medicines where it is believed to have medicinal properties,” the organisation said.

“When Marimba’s mother was poached, she was simply too young to fend for herself and so the decision was made to take her to Wild is Life sanctuary in Zimbabwe where she met her full-time carer Mateo.

“Marimba and Mateo spend all day everyday together and their relationship is truly remarkable. Many attempts have been made to rewild Marimba but she always makes her way back to Mateo, who refers to her as his “last born child.”

The organisation said the relationship has elements of what all humans should strive to emulate in their relationship with pangolins “if we are to save them from extinction— one of trust, love, and compassion.”

Bhejane Trust, another organisation that oversees the well being of wild animals around the Hwange conservancy areas, said it was important for communities to protect pangolins.

“Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world and severely threatened,” Bhejane Trust said.

“Let’s stand together to protect our creatures.”

The Gonarezhou Conservation Trust, which has been working with Tikki Hywood Foundation (THF) since 2015, said they had projects to rehabilitate and release pangolins recovered from the illegal wildlife trade.

A pangolin that was recently released to the bush at the Gonareshou National Park (Pic by Tikki Hywood Foundation)

“To date, the project has introduced a number of individuals and includes an important component of post-release monitoring to better understand the biology and behaviour of the species, the natural threats facing pangolin populations and also how these newly introduced individuals interact with the existing wild population,” the Trust said.

“THF has recorded natural births from these reintroduced individuals, all conceived in the wild of Gonarezhou, underlining the success of this project.”

In a statement to commemorate World Pangolin Day, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said pangolins are nocturnal animals “that feast on ants, are highly sought after for their supposed, but unproven, medicinal benefits, and as a culinary delicacy.”

UNEP said there was no scientific evidence that pangolins can be used to treat ailments.

“Pangolin scales are, however, made from keratin, the same substance as our hair and fingernails and have no medicinal properties at all,” the statement said.

UNEP said pangolins were the most trafficked wild animal in the world.

“In December 2019, the Xinhua news agency reported the seizure of over 10 tonnes of pangolin scales in the eastern Chinese city of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province,”it added

“This was the largest seizure of pangolin scales by Chinese customs officials up to that point in 2019. The pangolins in question were reported to be African tree pangolins.”

World Pangolin Day is celebrated every third Saturday of February throughout the world to raise awareness about their vulnerability.

Related Topics:United Nations Environment Programme World Pangolin Day

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National

Zambia, Zimbabwe to ban heavy trucks from Victoria Falls Bridge

Published

4 hours ago

April 21, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY DUMANI MOYO

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has announced that Zambia and Zimbabwe will restrict heavy trucks and trains from using the century-old Victoria Falls Bridge.

Speaking at an engineering conference in Livingstone, he said the two countries will instead build a new bridge and railway crossing to handle modern freight demands.

Hichilema made it clear that the 121-year-old structure can no longer safely or efficiently carry today’s heavy-duty traffic.

Engineers designed the bridge in the early 1900s for much lighter loads, not for fully laden 60-tonne mining trucks or long freight trains that now dominate regional trade routes.

Engineers completed the Victoria Falls Bridge in 1905 as a narrow arch crossing linking road, rail and pedestrian traffic.

While it remains an iconic piece of infrastructure, its design limits its ability to support modern logistics.

Authorities have already imposed restrictions over the years.

Trains often move at very low speeds, while trucks have faced weight limits that forced heavier vehicles to reroute through other crossings.

Although rehabilitation work in 2006 extended the bridge’s lifespan, it did not solve the fundamental structural limitations.

Experts now agree that upgrading the bridge to meet current freight standards would cost nearly as much as building a new one.

WHY A NEW CROSSING MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE

Officials from both countries now favour constructing a new dual-purpose rail and road bridge instead of attempting further upgrades.

A purpose-built crossing would accommodate higher traffic volumes and modern freight loads without compromising safety.

A new structure would also eliminate a major bottleneck along the North-South Corridor, which links the copper belts of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to southern markets such as South Africa.

By separating heavy commercial traffic from tourism and local travel, the new bridge would allow the Victoria Falls Bridge to serve lighter vehicles, pedestrians and tourists, preserving its heritage value.

REGIONAL TRADE AND RAIL INTEGRATION BOOST

The proposed crossing would complement major regional projects, including the Mosetse-Kazungula-Livingstone Railway.

A dual-track rail bridge would strengthen links between Zambia and Zimbabwe while supporting long-term plans to expand rail connectivity across Southern Africa.

It would also mirror the successful model of the Kazungula Bridge, which has significantly increased traffic flow since opening in 2021.

FINANCING AND NEXT STEPS

Despite strong political backing, key questions remain around funding, construction timelines and project ownership.

Zimbabwe’s debt constraints could complicate financing, although improved economic reforms may unlock support from international lenders.

If both governments secure funding and move quickly, the new bridge could become one of the most important infrastructure developments in the Southern African Development Community in recent years.

This could transform trade flows and ease congestion along a critical regional corridor.

SOURCE: THE SOUTH AFRICAN

National

Health ministry rolls out polio vaccination campaign

Published

5 hours ago

April 21, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY OWN CORRESPONDENT

Ministry of Health and Child Care has launched a targeted polio vaccination campaign in selected districts, with health workers going door-to-door and setting up outreach points to reach young children.

The campaign aims to vaccinate all children under the age of five against polio, a highly infectious disease that can cause paralysis. Authorities say the initiative forms part of a wider regional effort to interrupt transmission, being conducted alongside neighbouring countries including Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.

In a message posted on X on Monday and circulated in official memos, the ministry said it was “embarking on a targeted polio vaccination campaign to interrupt the transmission of polioviruses”. It urged families in affected areas to ensure that all eligible children are vaccinated, regardless of their previous vaccination status.

The programme will be carried out in two rounds, from 20 to 23 April and from 2 to 5 June, covering both urban and rural communities.

In Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, vaccination teams are operating in Emakhandeni, the Northern Suburbs and Nkulumane. In Harare Metropolitan Province, the campaign covers Harare, Chitungwiza, Epworth and Ruwa.

In Manicaland Province, teams are working in Mutare, Mutasa, Chimanimani and Chipinge. In Mashonaland Central, the campaign targets Mbire, Mt Darwin, Centenary and Rushinga, while in Mashonaland East it focuses on Mudzi. In Mashonaland West, Kariba and Hurungwe are included.

Further south, the drive extends to Chiredzi in Masvingo Province, as well as Binga, Hwange and Tsholotsho in Matabeleland North. In Matabeleland South, teams are operating in Bulilima, Mangwe, Matobo and Gwanda.

Health workers are using a combination of fixed vaccination sites, mobile units and door-to-door visits in neighbourhoods, markets, shops and clinics to reach eligible children, including those in remote and hard-to-access areas.

The ministry has called on parents and guardians to cooperate with vaccination teams, saying the campaign is critical to protecting children and preventing the spread of the disease.

SOURCE: CITE

In the community

Elephant kills villager in Nkayi, authorities launch investigation

Published

2 days ago

April 19, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

An elephant trampled a villager to death overnight in Mthoniselwa village in Ward 13 of Nkayi district, local authorities said on Sunday, in the latest human-wildlife conflict incident in the area.

The fatal attack occurred in the early hours of the morning, according to community leaders, who said the victim was attacked near the homestead.

“We have received a report from our Lupane Investigations Office regarding a tragic incident in Mthoniselwa village, Ward 13 of Nkayi, where a villager was trampled by an elephant,” said Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks spokesperson Luckmore Safuli.

“Further details regarding the identity and circumstances surrounding the deceased are still pending. ZimParks personnel are actively conducting assessments in the area to gather more information. Additionally, the Nkayi Rural District Council officers, in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, are on site to investigate the incident and conduct community awareness initiatives,” Saffouli added.

A message circulated in local community groups earlier in the day alerted residents to the incident and urged caution.

“We received a sad report from police this morning of a person who was attacked and killed by an elephant at night in Mthoniselwa, Ward 13. ZimParks has been notified and a ranger is on the way to track the elephant,” the message read.

Community leaders also urged residents to report the presence of dangerous wildlife and to remain vigilant to avoid further tragedies.

Zimbabwe has in recent years recorded a rise in human-wildlife conflict cases, particularly involving elephants, as animals stray into villages in search of food and water.