Zimbabwe to sell wild animals to Angola

Zimbabwe plans to export more wild animals to Angola despite widespread criticism for similar deals with China and the United Arab Emirates.
According to media reports on Tuesday, the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has struck a deal with the Angolan National Conservation Park for the export of elephants, buffaloes, antelopes and lions.
"The deal is being worked on between the Ministry of Environment and the Angolan National Conservation Park for the latter to buy the excess wild animals in Zimbabwe," one of the reports said. "The deal is expected to be signed in July in Angola."
Zimbabwe early this year came under sustained local and international condemnation from conservationists for exporting close to 62 baby elephants to the United Arab Emirates, France and China.
However, the government has argued that is suffering from a funding crisis and funds raised from the sale of the elephants would be used to help with conservation efforts.
The elephants were sold for up to $60,000 each. Zimbabwe needs to reduce its 80,000-strong elephant population, which is beyond the carrying capacity of its parks.
Under the Convent ion on International Trade in Endangered Species agreement to protect wild fauna and flora, trade in elephants is permissible, as long as it is properly regulated.
The treaty stipulates that all species should be categorised according to the size and robustness of the population, and trade limited accordingly.
Cash-strapped Zimbabwean government is seized with mobilising the international community for financial aid, direct budgetary support and debt relief from various sources.
Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa recently said he is not expecting any revenue from the country's diamonds as they have run out and the companies mining the precious minerals have no capacity to go deeper.
Source: Zimbabwe to sell wild animals to Angola (12/05/15)