14 elephants found dead, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) is investigating a matter of 14 elephants found dead on Friday in Victoria Falls,13 of which were killed 9 months ago.

Sources close to investigations allege members of Zambezi camp rangers were on patrol in Zambezi National Park where they found 13 elephant carcasses fully decomposed and one elephant killed three days after.

"We are investigating a case of poaching in Matebeland North were 14 elephants were killed and the carcasses were found in Kazungula airstrip about 3km off road by game rangers, said the source.

" All the elephant carcasses are valued at 700 000, in total five (5) tusks were recovered weighing 50.5kg altogether and valued at $512 625.

"Thirteen of the elephant are suspected to have been given cyanide in fruits while the other is suspected to have died naturally.

"Thus tasks were sent to Zambezi camp for safe keeping.

"Investigations are underway at ZRP Victoria Falls under RRB number 3362074."

Meanwhile, according to Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife records elephant poaching is on the increase in Matebeland North, in October 13 poisoned by cyanide outside Victoria Falls in Fuller Forest and Chikandakubi area.

Source: 14 elephants found dead, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (20/11/17)

More: Elephant poisoning pair acquitted (23/11/17)

Zimbabwe’s baby elephants getting sold to China zoos

Source: Zimbabwe’s baby elephants getting sold to China zoos Nehanda Radio Online (28/11/14)
The group says that they first highlighted this issue when they encountered an Australian and Zimbabwean looking to earmark elephants in Hwange for Chinese zoos.

Now they claim that tourists are witnessing blatant live captures of baby elephants. They are then taken to Mtshibi Capture Unit about 7 kilometres from Hwange’s Main Camp.

“So far 34 baby elephants between the ages of 2 ½ and 5 years old, 7 lions and about 10 sable antelope have been rounded up for shipping but investigators were not allowed to get close enough to the compound to photograph as security there has become extremely tight,” the group claims in a media statement.

These are then trucked to Maputo in Mozambique, where they begin their arduous trip to China.
In 2013 three young elephants were shipped to China, only to be exposed to freezing weather conditions and confinement resulting in the death of one, and the other two getting sick.

China and the ivory trade

Last year poachers in Hwange National Park started poisoning water holes with cyanide in order to kill elephants for their tusks.

According to a report in December, more than 300 elephants fell victim to this.

The Environmental Investigation Agency issued a report earlier this month that found when Chinese government and business delegations arrived in China prices on the local ivory market doubled to $700 (or R7,727) a kilo during their visit.

“The [delegation]… used the opportunity to procure such a large amount of ivory that local prices increased,” the report says according to the BBC. “When your president [Xi Jinping] was here… many kilos go out… many kilos. Half of his plane go with that,” one of the traders told EIA investigators.

Source: Zimbabwe’s baby elephants getting sold to China zoos Nehanda Radio Online (28/11/14)

Elephant poaching on the rise in Zambia

Zambia has recorded a steady rise in elephant poaching in recent years. Last year, Zambia lost a total of 135 elephants to poaching as compared to 124 in 2012 and 96 in 2011, according to the country's position paper presented at a London conference last week.
The country currently has an ivory stockpile of 10, 031 pieces due to a surge in illegal trade and poaching of elephants, said Zamibian Tourisma and Arts Minister Sylvia Masebo.
The elephant population has dwindled from an estimated over 200,000 head of elephants in the 1970s and 1980s to about 26, 382, the minister said citing a 2008 survey. "Current figures indicate that Zambia lost a total of 135 elephants to poaching in 2013 as compared to 124 elephants in 2012 and 96 elephants in 2011, respectively. This has been a stable but steady increase in poaching levels," Masebo said.
She, however, added that the rise in elephant poaching in Zambia was relatively low as compared to other neighbouring countries that have seen unprecedented high levels of poaching.
Zambian minister said funding to a government agency that manages wildlife has been increased to help it improve the management of wildlife.
Source: Elephant poaching on the rise in Zambia (external site)

Poachers kill 25 elephants in Western Province

Zambia Daily Mail
12 April 2013
The killing of over 25 elephants by poachers in the past year is negatively affecting the tourism sector in Western Province.
Western Province permanent secretary Emmanuel Mwamba says over 25 elephants have been killed over a period of one year by poachers in Sioma Ngwezi National Park, and from Sesheke and Senanga districts.
Mr Mwamba said in a statement released from Mongu recently that the endangered species are being hunted and killed for their ivory tusks. He said the numbers of elephants killed so far is alarming considering it takes many years for an elephant population to grow to a sizeable number. "The provincial administration is promoting tourism and feared the criminal action of poachers is negating their efforts hence should be discouraged," he said.
Mr Mwamba said Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) had so far recovered 49 tusks weighing 267kgs and has since directed the authority area warden in the province to immediately halt the high cases of elephant poaching in the area... He urged the authority to pursue the court cases with keen interest, adding the recent cases involving suspected poachers found with 10 ivory tusks in Sesheke and those found with 18 pieces of ivory tusks in Senanga, must be prosecuted to their logical end. He said his office had taken interest in the cases to ensure justice was served and the rampant killing of elephants stopped. He urged ZAWA to tighten security control and searches in the region, especially on entrance and exit routes.
Read the full article here.