BuaNews (Tshwane)
2 June 2008
Lusaka — The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) needs $1.5 million for animal restocking in its national parks around the country as heavy poaching has caused the animal populations in parks across the country to decrease, says ZAWA Director-General Lewis Saiwana.
He said on Sunday that conservation efforts should be started by restocking the national parks, citing as an example the Zambezi National Park as one which had been adversely affected by poaching.
He pointed out that illegal squatters in the Zambezi park were suspected to have been contributing to the massive poaching of animals.
Dr Saiwana said the squatters in the park had since been given up to 30 June to vacate the area.
Failure to comply with the ultimatum would result in ZAWA using force to remove them.
"Notice has been given to the people living in the park to leave by 30 June on their own accord. If they do not, then ZAWA will have them removed forcibly because it is illegal to stay in a national park," he added.
Dr Saiwana noted that animals such as the kudu, impala, buffalo, zebra, and bush buck were among those targeted by poachers.
He added that as soon as the squatters leave the Zambezi National Park, ZAWA, with help from co-operating partners, would start restocking the park.
Meanwhile, Mr Saiwana disclosed that ZAWA had embarked on a programme of allocating tourism concessions to private investors to help develop North Luangwa National Park in Chinsali district in northern province.
He said tourism concession agreements would be granted to private investors, including Zambians, who would help develop the park and boost tourism in the country.
"ZAWA is 100 percent in charge of national parks and so tourism concessions will be given to private investors who will develop the park by establishing lodges and hotels that will attract investors and boost tourism in the country as a whole," he said. - BuaNews-NNN
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 BuaNews. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
