Bats Without Borders are warmly inviting you to join in with their special talk by Prof. Wanda Markotter on “A One Health Approach to Understanding Spillover of Bat Pathogens” on Wednesday 23 October. This marks their 50th #WingedWednesday webinar since they launched their talks in May 2020.
Professor Wanda Markotter is a virologist who began her academic career at the University of Pretoria in 2004. She is currently the Director of its Centre for Viral Zoonoses in the Department of Medical Virology at the University’s Faculty of Health Sciences. Professor Markotter has been involved in a transdisciplinary research programme on disease ecology in bat species in South Africa and other African countries since 2005.
To join in, pre-register on the Bats Without Borders’ webinar series via their website www.batswithoutborders.org/webinars You will then be sent the Zoom login details the day before the webinar and a reminder one hour before. Please note webinars start at 15hrs Southern African time (currently 2pm BST |1pm GMT | 9am EDT).
You can also catch up on all previous #WingedWednesday webinars on their YouTube channel and you can keep up to date with all their news on their Facebook Page
WCP are thrilled to invite you to yet another Women for Conservation networking event – especially after such a long time – they are back with an exciting games night!
Join them for an evening of celebration and education, to reflect on Zambia’s conservation achievements throughout this year, with a variety of games and a friendly quiz – from the cancellation of the mine in the Lower Zambezi National Park to the Elephant Chargers raising over ZMW 3,500,000 for conservation – there is so much to celebrate!
In fact, the games have already begun! When you RSVP you will be entered into the raffle draw, with the opportunity to win a free spot in the Open Window University creative workshops, along with other cool prizes.
So, why not bring a friend and come ready to have a fun evening of games and learning?
Women for Conservation is an inclusive network for all gender equality supporters (yes, men included!) who are interested in conservation, to meet and share ideas.
On 8 September 2022 Paul Daka, a revenue collector in the Ministry of Health in Mambwe District was arrested by officers from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife with almost 100 kg of bushmeat. Further investigations were carried out which led to the apprehension of two other men. John Banda a farmer and Jones Mmanga, an accountant in the office of the Permanent Secretary, based in Chipata.
On 24 December 2023, Paul Daka, John Banda, and Jones Mmanga were convicted and sentenced to six years. Jones Mmanga has since filed in a notice of appeal in the High Court.
The case above has resulted in the disruption of a significant organized illegal bushmeat syndicate in the region. Some people mistakenly think of bushmeat as a small-scale issue, with meat going into the pot of local communities to feed their families. This case proves otherwise with local farmers being exploited by corrupt government officials who use their positions of power to traffic illegal meat to their wealthy consumers. The illegal bushmeat trade involves many different levels of criminals to enable and transport the illicit contraband around the country.
Carrying bushmeat can attract a prison sentence of several years and eating bushmeat which may have been hunted and transported in an unhygienic manner can result in many diseases. Local communities are not making the most money from this dangerous activity. They are risking their lives just to put exotic meat on the plate of greedy officials. Connected middlemen make the biggest profit, for pedaling this dirty product onto the end consumer. Many of these traders have been reported to be selling fake meat and animals such as hyenas, dogs and snakes are often sold to unsuspecting consumers as buffalo or impala.
The illegal bushmeat trade in Zambia, is a serious problem that threatens the survival of many wild animal species and undermines the country’s biodiversity. The trade is also detrimental to the livelihoods of local communities who depend on wildlife for tourism and other economic benefits.[1]
One of the main impacts of the illegal bushmeat trade is the loss of biodiversity. When certain species are overhunted, their populations can decline to the point of extinction. This can lead to a cascade of effects throughout the ecosystem, as other species that depend on them for food or as predators may also decline. Additionally, the loss of keystone species, such as elephants and ungulates, can lead to changes in the structure and function of the entire ecosystems.
The illegal bushmeat trade can have serious and far-reaching impacts on ecosystems, by altering the populations of key species, disrupting food webs, and diminishing biodiversity. It is important to take steps to combat the illegal bushmeat trade to protect the ecological integrity of our planet as well as protect our families from the diseases perpetuated by this unregulated meat.
Another approach has been to raise awareness about the negative impacts of the bushmeat trade through the This Is Not A Game campaign. The This Is Not A Game (TINAG) campaign is the first ever Zambian behavioural change campaign aimed at sensitising the public about the dangers of illegal bushmeat from the DNPW in partnership with Wildlife Crime Prevention (WCP). Initiatives such as the transformed poachers programme by the Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO). The programme supports reformed poachers by educating them on the importance of wildlife conservation and alternative livelihoods[2]. DNPW and the Judiciary of Zambia have demonstrated their commitment through the case above, alongside others to protect our environment, our economy and our families from the dangers and diseases of the illegal bushmeat trade. This case shows that no one is above the law and corrupt officials will be brought to book.
“Dogs are like life partners, they need commitment.” – Wilson Kaluba
Man’s best friend? Wilson would agree. Wilson had worked with detection dogs in Zambia for over half a decade. During this time, he has formed a formidable bond with his K9 partner, Zhorka. Zhorka is a five-year-old German Shepherd and one of Wilson’s closest allies. Originally bred as herding dogs, German Shepherds are now commonly used in disability assistance, law enforcement and increasingly in wildlife conservation. Their courage, loyalty, and guarding instincts as some of their best-known qualities. Qualities that Wilson can attest to.
It is common knowledge that dogs have an amazing sense of smell. Scientists say that dogs’ sense of smell overpowers our own by orders of magnitude. They are 10,000 to 100,000 times as acute[1]. What does this mean to you and me? Let’s put it this way. While we might notice if our coffee has had a teaspoon of sugar added to it, a dog could detect a teaspoon of sugar in two Olympic-sized swimming pools[2]. With this keen sense of smell, the right dog can be trained to track anything that emits an odour. Whether dead or alive, flora or fauna, on land or even under the sea, a well-trained detection dog can find it.
In Zhorka’s case, her odour-detection skills are used to disrupt Zambia’s illegal wildlife trade. She is a member of one of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife’s Detection Dogs Units. Zhorka is a law enforcement officer. A working dog, trained imprint on elephant ivory, pangolin scales, rhino horn and bushmeat to name a few. To “imprint” simply means training a dog to recognize specific odours.
Every day, humans like Wilson and dogs like Zhorka, partner to find illegal wildlife products being smuggled across Zambia. Together, they and the other dogs in Zhorka’s unit have had amazing success. This isn’t surprising as Zhorka was born into this business. Bred for her keen senses and ability to work well with people. However, Wilson’s story is a bit different.
In 2016, Wilson was a DNPW officer based at Lusaka National Park. He was posted there to monitor the white rhinos living in the park. Something he did for many years. Over this time in the park, he built a rapport with the animals. However, having arrived at the park in 2010, after six years, he was ready for a new challenge.
He vividly remembers hearing an advertisement on the radio. There was a call for officers to join a new team of detection dog handlers. For an avid animal lover like Wilson, this was a dream come true. He promptly applied and joined 24 other shortlisted candidates for weeks of intensive training with Invictus K9. Invictus are an organisation with vast experience in developing and strengthening working dog units. They have worked with dig units across Zambia including in Lower Zambezi National Park, Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe. Wilson and his fellow trainees were in good hands as Jay Crafter and Michael Hensman them through weeks of intense physical and phycological training.
The 24 were brought down to only four and Lusaka’s Detection Dog Unit was born.
“I successfully completed my training and was assigned a dog named Tommy, a Vizsla breed from Belgium”, Wilson retells. He had Tommy had many successes over the years. Alongside Alna, Rambo and Bos, three other detection dogs in the unit. Some of their highlights include finding over one tonne of illegal bushmeat on a truck on the road from Ngabwe. Another time they found two suspects within a lodge in Kapiri trying to sell a leopard’s skin. At a checkpoint they set up near Luano they found a 50-year-old man smuggling illegal bushmeat. Their tales are simply too many to tell.
Sadly, after many years together Tommy retired and was replaced by Zhorka. However, now they too are going on many adventures to capture wildlife criminals.
Wilson describes working with dogs as one would listening to soothing music. “It calms me, and the dog makes my job very easy.” It takes rarely takes my dog more than five minutes to search a property thoroughly. Something that might take humans hours to do.
With success come challenges. The use of dogs to conduct investigations and detect wildlife products is new to the Zambian public. Many are uncomfortable with the dogs despite them being well-trained. The team have spent hundreds of hours training in buildings and around both adults and children to ensure the dogs are comfortable around them and not distracted. They are, after all, working dogs. As people are familiarised with the dogs and see them at roadblocks, during operations or even at our airports, mindsets are shifting.
Wilson and his team are some of the unsung heroes of conservation work in Zambia. Alongside two other detection dog units in Zambia, they illustrate how the deep connection between man and his best friend can save the other life on this planet. Zambians often have mixed feelings about dogs. They are adored as pets but also feared by many. Wilson and the detection dog unit have nothing but praise for their friends. Dogs have changed their careers and their lives.
[1] Dogs’ Dazzling Sense of Smell, Peter Tyson Thursday, October 4, 2012, PBS – Nova
[2] Inside of a dog: what dogs see, smell, and know, Horowitz, Alexandra, New York: Scribner, 2009.
On the way to Kafue National Park is the rural town of Mumbwa. In this sleepy town right outside Zambia’s biggest protected area, the sight of wildlife is a common thing. It is easy to grow fond of animals and nature in such an environment. The daily sounds of birds chirping or a brief encounter with a duiker are the kinds of memories that are cemented in one’s mind as they grow older.
In Mumbwa my passion for nature was forged, as was my interest in conservation clubs. In them I learned about ecosystems and the different roles plants and animals play. Songs about the value of wildlife and school field trips strengthened my understanding. I saw the value of the animals I had seen my entire life. It was also here that I learned that Zambia has an abundance of natural resources and is rich in biodiversity.
Remmy Kopeka – Author
Unfortunately, this biodiversity is under threat. Poaching, deforestation and the illegal wildlife trade are just a few of the activities pushing our precious wildlife to the brink of extinction. The illegal wildlife trade continues to be one of the greatest threats to conservation efforts in Zambia today. This is something I was taught in school. Something that would weigh heavy on my heart.
Building on my passion for wildlife and my growing concern about the illegal wildlife trade, I decided to pursue a career in wildlife conservation. I enrolled to study wildlife management at the Copperbelt University. While studying there I was fortunate enough to participate in many environmental and social initiatives. This includes spreading awareness on climate change, tree planting, and teaching smart agricultural practices in different communities.
With nature right on my doorstep and conservation activities all around me, the conservation sector always made sense to me. However, not everyone is as fortunate as I am. Most young Zambians are advised to choose “safe” careers. “Why not become a doctor, lawyer or engineer? You will definitely get a job”, we often hear. Thankfully things are changing. Initiatives such as the conservation careers fair are changing mindsets and getting young Zambians into careers, they would have never thought possible. I can certainly testify as I am one of them.
I vividly remember how I got my current job. One day I was scrolling on social media and an event I had never heard of before popped up. The Zambian Conservation Careers Fair was going to be held soon. As a recent graduate brimming with excitement, I knew I had to attend. The event was hosted by Wildlife Crime Prevention (WCP), an organisation I had never heard of before.
The event changed my life. Despite having a degree in wildlife management, I was not aware of many of the possible career paths available to someone like me. Infact I didn’t even know some of the organisations exhibiting at the fair existed. The fair was a platform to network with various conservation organisations. Graduates like myself could gain a better understanding of the works carried out by different conservation organisations in Zambia. But the best part was gaining information about internship and job opportunities. At the fair I met the team from WCP. As luck would have it, they would become my colleagues in the not so distant future.
There is a notion in Zambia that only students who studied conservation related courses can work in this sector. Fortunately, the conservation careers fair is showing graduates from every sector that you can have any qualification and still work in conservation. There are veterinary doctors who work for the Zambian Carnivore Program, pilots and data analysts from WCP, and of course every organisation needs at least one accountant.
At this year’s fair the Mr Andrew Chomba the director of the Department of National Parks had some powerful words for the graduates in attendance;
“Environmental conservation work is borderless. Wild animals don’t need passports. Elephants and lions don’t pass through immigration when they swim across the Mighty Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Similarly, a career in conservation can take the next generation of Zambia’s young professionals throughout the region and outside of the African continent to act as ambassadors for our wildlife across the globe.”
I would like humans to understand that conservation is borderless for them too. There are no limits to what one can achieve and I am a testament to this fact. A small boy from Mumbwa, who is now a data analyst in Mfuwe.
Aspiring Conservation Leaders – Cohort 3 with Remmy Kopeka
I now take part in wildlife conservation awareness campaigns. We use sports, and radio programs to raise awareness against the illegal wildlife trade. Often, I am fortunate enough to offer career guidance to youths that wish to pursue a career in wildlife conservation or any environmental program. For the young people my story is relatable because like them. I too grew up in a rural town with few career opportunities.
It is always a pleasure to play the role of mentor and friend. To help young people see what is possible outside of the world they know. It is however a pleasure to know that many organisations in Mfuwe, where I now live, and across Zambia see the light in these young people’s eyes. With newer pressures like climate change knocking at our door. Now more than ever we need young Zambians to step up to the plate.
