AR-News: (Africa) New Farmers Decimate Lion Population

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)

Posted to the web March 8, 2004 
Loughty Dube
Bulawayo 
As the plunder of wildlife in safari and conservancy areas in Matabeleland 
North continues unabated, it has emerged that the lion population in the areas 
has been depleted as a result of wanton hunting by new farmers.
The revelations come in the wake of similar allegations of the plunder of the 
Presidential Elephant Herd by the new farmers allocated safari land under the 
fast track land reforms in areas bordering Hwange National Park.
 
As a result of the indiscriminate slaughter of the beast, the Parks and 
Wildlife Management Authority has reduced the 2004 hunting quota for lions in the 
Matetsi, Zambezi and Gwayi conservancies.
An internal report, entitled '2004 hunting season private land quotas for 
approval: Matabeleland North province', co-signed by the authority's chief 
ecologist, the director of operations, the board chairman and approved by Minister 
of Environment and Tourism, Francis Nhema, confirmed the reduction in the 
hunting quota of lions for the 2004 season.
"Lion population in particular has been observed to be declining as evidenced 
by reduced hunter success rates and observed low numbers," reads the report.
"It is therefore recommended that the lion quota for the Matetsi and Gwayi be 
drastically reduced this season, furthermore the hunting off-take from safari 
areas be reduced significantly per operator during the next hunting season."
This is not the first time that Parks and Wildlife Management has taken 
action to curb the abuse of hunting rights in the same area.





full story:

http://allafrica.com/stories/200403080498.html 
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