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Zimbabwe celebrates World Pangolin Day

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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.

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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.

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Tsholotsho to host national commemoration of International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Zimbabwe will on Thursday, this week,  join the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDR), with national events set to take place at Tshino Primary School in Ward 5, Tsholotsho District, along the Tsholotsho–Sipepa road.

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The global day, observed annually, aims to promote a culture of disaster risk awareness and highlight efforts to reduce vulnerability and build resilience in communities.

Speaking to VicFallsLive, Civil Protection Unit Director Nathan Nkomo said this year’s commemoration holds special significance for Tsholotsho, a district that has long struggled with recurrent flooding.

“The whole issue is to reduce, not to increase the occurrence of disasters. And by commemorating, that’s where we share ideas with other people,” Nkomo said.

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He noted that Tsholotsho’s selection as the national host was deliberate, following the successful relocation of families who were affected by flooding at the confluence of the Gwai and Shashani rivers.

“It’s not by accident that we are commemorating in Tsholotsho. We have built 305 houses for people who were affected in the Spepa area, and we will be celebrating in style because we have managed to relocate them,” he said.

“Now we no longer hear of people being flooded in Tsholotsho because of that relocation. So, we will be celebrating in style for Tshini and Sawudweni.”

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The relocations, carried out under government’s disaster recovery and housing programs, have been hailed as a success story in proactive disaster risk management.

Looking ahead to the cyclone season, Nkomo said funding remains the major challenge in preparedness and response.

“We cannot preempt to say there are challenges yet, but historically, since we’ve dealt with COVID-19 and Cyclone Idai, the issue of funds has always been critical,” he said.

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“This year, we are dealing with cyclones at a time when even our development partners have dwindling resources. So, funding will take centre stage in our deliberations, to see how best we can respond with the little we have. The whole idea, when you go to war, is not the question of numbers, but of strategy and how to win.”

The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is observed globally every October 13, but Zimbabwe’s national commemorations are being held later this year to align with local preparedness programs and community-based activities.

 

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ZimParks to host first-ever International Wildlife Conservation symposium

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) will hold its inaugural International Wildlife Conservation Symposium under the theme “Wildlife Conservation and Sustainable Development.”

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The two-day event, scheduled for October 22 to 23, next week, will take place at the Management Training Bureau in Msasa, Harare. It will bring together conservationists, researchers, policymakers, and students to discuss key issues around wildlife protection and sustainable development.

The symposium will focus on eight sub-themes, namely Wildlife Conservation and Transboundary Management, Freshwater, Fisheries and Aquatic Management, Sustainable Tourism and Socio-Economic Development, Human-Wildlife Interactions, Environmental Health and Safety, Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, Community-Based Natural Resource Management, and Natural Resource Policy and Governance.

ZimParks says the symposium will provide a platform to exchange ideas and deepen understanding of the link between wildlife conservation and sustainable development. Members of the public, students, and professionals are encouraged to attend.

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“We are losing ground”: Counsellors’ demotivation threatens Zimbabwe’s HIV gains

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

The men and women who have been at the heart of Zimbabwe’s fight against HIV — the primary health counsellors — say their morale has hit rock bottom as they continue to work without job security, inconsistent pay, and uncertain futures.

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These counsellors, stationed across hospitals and clinics countrywide, form the backbone of the country’s HIV prevention and treatment programme. They handle testing, counselling, and patient follow-ups — ensuring those on antiretroviral therapy stay in care and that new infections are detected early.

But as Hwange West legislator Vusumuzi Moyo warned in Parliament, the system supporting these essential workers is “crumbling quietly.”

“Their salaries have been very erratic, sometimes going for months without pay,” Moyo told VicFallsLive after his parliamentary question to the Minister of Health and Child Care. “These people are the heartbeat of HIV management. They’re paid from the Global Fund, but payments have not been consistent, and the government has taken too long to incorporate them into the civil service.”

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Currently, the counsellors are funded under the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) — a donor mechanism that has kept thousands of Zimbabwean health posts afloat for years.

However, global aid shifts, including the ripple effects of the U.S. administration’s restrictions on foreign aid, have made their positions increasingly vulnerable.

Health Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora confirmed during a recent parliamentary session that staff bids had been submitted to Treasury for approval to absorb counsellors into the government payroll.

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He said that while donor funding has decreased, both the U.S. Government and Global Fund have continued to prioritise support for human resources at primary healthcare level.

Still, for many of the counsellors — and for communities relying on them — the wait has been too long.

Moyo painted a grim picture of what’s happening in hospitals.

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“If you go to referral hospitals like Forrester, you’ll find that about 90% of male ward patients are people who have defaulted on treatment,” he said. “It’s because counsellors are no longer motivated. They used to follow up with patients, call them if they missed visits, and make sure they stayed in care. But now, with no pay or recognition, there’s no incentive to keep doing that work.”

He warned that the country’s AIDS-related deaths are rising again, undoing the progress Zimbabwe had made in reducing HIV prevalence.

“Our statistics had been improving — even other countries were benchmarking our model. But now, it’s as if we’re back to the old days. You see people sick again, wards filling up, and that speaks to a system that’s failing quietly,” Moyo added.

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Zimbabwe has long been recognised as one of Africa’s HIV success stories, cutting its national prevalence from over 26% in the early 2000s to around 11% today, according to research studies. Much of that progress was driven by a strong network of community-based counsellors who ensured people were tested, treated, and supported.

 

 

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