Tour operators break the law & move elephant from National Parks
By Tererai Karimakwenda
14 November 2006

Individuals and some organisations in Zimbabwe continue to defy laws that are meant to protect wildlife and the environment in their pursuit of foreign currency. The latest breach of the law resulted in 4 elephant dying out of a group of 15 that were separated from their family units last month. The wild “eles” had been darted and transported to a holding area. This is despite regulations in Zimbabwe’s National Parks Act that do not allow wild elephant to be domesticated.

Now it has been reported that tour operator Shearwater Adventures captured 12 more elephants this week from Hwange National Park and removed them to holding bomas, for training for commercial purposes. Darts were used to drug the animals before separating them from their family groups. It’s alleged that 3 more elephant have been targeted for removal from their herd on Friday.

This not only contravenes Zimbabwean law but it goes against recommendations set by organisations that include the International Conservation Union and the African Elephant Specialist Group.

Johnny Rodrigues of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force
said studies have shown that removing elephant from their family units causes trauma and stress. He said: “They are being translocated, removed from their families. The stress of being drugged and transported, being put in a boma, amounts to cruelty.” Asked what sort of commercial purposes the elephant were being captured for, Rodrigues said eventually they will give rides to tourists. He added: “I believe people pay up to US$100 for each ride so there is a lot of gain in it at the expense of the trauma that the animal has to go through.”

According to the South African Sunday Independent, the chief executive officer of Shearwater Allen Roberts admitted the recent capture was for commercial reasons but said it also helped relieve pressure on elephant populations in Hwange National Park. Rodrigues dismissed this saying the populations are too low to cause pressure.

The chief inspector of the Zimbabwe National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Glynis Vaughan, is quoted as saying her organisation was outraged. She said they would approach the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to ban further captures, and would also prosecute.