ZimParks partners IFAW in Makona project
TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has partnered with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to construct roads and build houses at Makona Camp , located 100km from the Hwange National Park Main Camp in Matabeleland North Province.
ZimParks spokesperson, Tinashe Farawo confirmed the development saying IFAW, which is one of the largest animal welfare and conservative welfare charities, has so far spent US$2m on different projects at Hwange National Park.
“This is a massive project that is a result of our conservation partnership with IFAW. They are assisting us in a big way. Over the last two years they have poured in more US$2m and we are extremely grateful as ZimParks.
“ The road that we have used from the main camp to Makona is about 100km. At some point you need to spend a day travelling by that road because of the Kalahari sense. They have assisted us; it’s now navigable, ” he said.
Some of the projects include scooping of mud from Nyamandlovu Pan so that wild animals have enough water during the dry season.
Farawo said it was expensive to deploy rangers to the area.
“We are now setting up a camp where almost all the buildings are ready for occupation. We used to deploy our rangers from the main camp to here. And considering that kind of a distance it was really costly and we are extremely grateful the houses are almost ready for occupation, “ Farawo said.
He added: “This is helping us in a big way in fighting against poaching. It was really difficult for us to move from the main camp to here to react to poaching and also to react to the problem of animals in the community. Because from here to Tsholotsho is just 10 kilometers and setting up of this camp will ensure that we will definitely look after our most prize asset which is the elephant.”
He said the move will also ensure that ZimParks officers will have improved welfare due to the IFAW support.
