28-Jun-09 2:00 PM CST

Collar Bands Used in Tracking Rhinos

RHINO poaching has declined significantly in different parts of the country following a massive awareness campaign and recent joint operations by the country’s security forces.

Environment and Natural Resources Management Minister Cde Francis Nhema said the intensive awareness campaigns had been held in communities surrounding national parks.

"We are seeing a decline in cases of rhino poaching after we held massive campaigns in these communities educating them about the value of the animals and their importance to the economy.

"After our operations with the police and army, we are making a lot of difference in these parks and our security forces on the ground have been assisting us to flush out poachers.

The killing of at least 70 rhinos in the past 12 months by well coordinated poaching syndicates around the world has placed the country on the agenda of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) meeting to be held next year.

Since January this year, at least ten poachers have been shot dead and several arrested after trying to kill and de-horn rhinos around the country.

Areas that have been targeted by rhino poachers are Lake Chivero, the Midlands, Hwange and the south eastern Lowveld which has a long and porous border with Mozambique.

Cde Nhema said the availability of resources had also enhanced operations leading to successful anti-poaching activities.

"We now have sufficient equipment and resources to carry out our operations in rhino areas and this has assisted us in nabbing the poachers.

"Our rhinos now have collar bands and we can easily track them within a given radius. Therefore, the monitoring of the animals has become easier," he said.

He added that the Government had also started de-horning the rhinos to reduce their value to poachers.

However, but the process has to be repeated because the horns sprout after a given period.

A programme has also been launched to relocate rhinos to safe conservancies near towns to reduce poaching operations.

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