Last month, a former wildlife police officer, Lovemore Nkhowani, 60, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for the illegal possession of elephant ivory weighing 10 kilograms.
The notorious elephant poacher, nicknamed ‘Mbanje’, was charged with one count of Unlawful Possession of a Prescribed Trophy which contravenes the Zambia Wildlife Act. Mr Nkhowani was arrested by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife on 26th May 2020 with the ivory which was suspected to have been illegally harvested from an elephant poached in the West Musalangu Game Management Area.
Our Zambian elephant population is thought to have reduced by 90% since the 1960s. During the 1980s thousands of elephants once roamed the country’s plains, but the poaching crisis of the 1980s drastically reduced those numbers by the end of the decade. Since then, the Zambian Government has strongly protected our elephants so that their value to the economy can be realised through sustainable livelihoods such as tourism. Their value to the environment should be maintained for a balanced eco-system.
Whilst sentencing, the court told the suspect that as someone who was once a wildlife police officer, under the Department, he should have known the importance of conserving wildlife. He was reminded that his duty was to protect wildlife and to educate his community on the importance of conservation, rather than to engage in poaching. The court also stated that it hoped the punishment handed to Mr Nkhowani would deter other officers from committing similar offences.
Today is World Snake Day – did you know that there are 3,500 species of snakes worldwide? Of these, only around 600 are venomous, with only 200 species that pose a threat to humans. So snakes are not as scary or as worrying as you might think they are!
While snakes are threatened by many of the same issues that affect all wildlife, such as habitat loss, climate change, and disease, negative attitudes toward snakes may be the biggest barrier to their conservation because it often impedes efforts to address other threats. So why not take some time today and find out why snakes are an essential part of our planet’s biodiversity?
Join in an online event
The Kalinga Foundation is hosting a free online Wild Sync event today with experts talking about snakes and snake bites – Insights from 5 Continents. You can join in by registering on their website – www.kalingacre.com
Save The Snakes is holding their first interactive webinar today at 10hrs (PST/17hrs CEST) – Bridging the Gap Between Snake Conservation and Human-Snake Conflict Mitigation. Their team will discuss snake conservation, the global snakebite crisis and much more! The webinar will feature photos of snakes from around the world and there will be a question and answer session following the presentation. To find out more and to register visit their website – www.savethesnakes.org
Visit a reptile park
Kalimba Reptile Park is located at Ngwerere, just north of Lusaka. The park is home to indigenous snakes as well as giant Nile crocodiles, tortoises and other reptiles. They offer a range of activities with both families and groups being welcome. They are open every day and you can find out more on their Facebook and Website pages.
If you are in Southern Province, you can visit the Livingstone Reptile Park, who are home to a collection of Livingstone’s most notorious reptiles! Find out more on their Facebook page.
Take a course
Helping Hands in Snake Safety (HHiSS) is a local NGO who run sensitisation courses and activities in snake awareness, recognition and handling. They give talks to communities, schools and organisations as well as conducting training and give advice on snakebite management to improve the safe and effective treatment of snakebites in Zambia. You can find out more at www.hhiss.com and on their Facebook page.
Find out more online
If you would prefer to find out more from your own home, then why not join the Zambian Snakes and Other Crawlies Facebook page where you can upload your photos for ID and ask experts questions on snakes found in Zambia.
You can also find out more information on the different species of Zambian snakes at www.arc.com
Fun facts about snakes from Planet Experts
So why help celebrate World Snake Day today by increasing you knowledge about these amazing creatures.
The first Southern Zambia Birding Festival began this week – Monday 13 to Friday 24 July 2020, in Southern Province.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, festival activities have had to be curtailed, but the ‘Dry season’ Livingstone Museum’s Historic Biennial Water Bird count is still going ahead. The following counts will be conducted in the mornings only:
Wednesday 15 July – Royal Livingstone to Maramba River Thursday 16 July – Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park Friday 17 July – Clipper Fish Farm Monday 20 July – Siloka Island (upstream) Tuesday 21 July – Siloka Island (downstream) Wednesday 22 July – Victoria Falls (top) Thursday 23 July – Victoria Falls (below the Falls)
Participation is free and open to everyone. Numbers will be limited at some of the locations, so registering in advance is recommended to avoid disappointment.
Two lectures are taking place – the Chiinga Siavwapa and Bob Stjernstedt Memorial Lectures, on the afternoons of 17th and 24th July. These are also free to attend and will take place at the Livingstone Museum Education Centre, Livingstone.
During the Festival local guides and bird experts will be available for private birding tours in Livingstone, Choma and key IBAs throughout Southern Province. Many of the local lodges and camps are also offering discounts to local residents during the Festival.
Did you know that the Department of National Parks and Wildlife in Zambia has a K9 Wildlife Crime Detection Dog Unit in Lusaka?
The detection dogs are trained to sniff out illegal wildlife products such as bushmeat, pangolin scales, rhino horn and ivory. They operate at roadblocks and the airports
Zambia borders eight countries and has identified a significant amount of illegal wildlife trafficking, coming through our boarders as well as from our own national parks. This illegal wildlife trade poses a threat to the environment and economic security within Zambia. The 9 Unit plays an important role in the Department of National Parks Wildlife’s fight against the illegal wildlife trade in Zambia.
The Wildlife Crime Detection Dog Unit was established in 2017 with support from Wildlife Crime Prevention. Since staring they have effected over 200 arrests.
CSL (Conservation South Luangwa) works with community and conservation partners to protect wildlife and habitats in the South Luangwa ecosystem. They are a Zambian non-profit organisation and have been working in the region for the past 20 years.
CSL works with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife providing Anti-poaching support, aerial surveillance and their well trained Dog Detection Unit. They also provide wildlife rescue and snaring services as well as working with local communities providing human wildlife conflict mitigation.
Sadly, due to the COVID-10 pandemic, they have had to cancel their Annual Fun Run this year. This is an important event in the region’s calendar. It provides a platform for community members, wildlife managers and scouts to come together and informally talk about conservation through sports and drama.
