International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has donated 2 land cruisers valued at $85 000 each to be used by Zimbabwe Wildlife and National Parks (ZimParks) rangers to patrol areas around Hwange National Park, The Sunday News reports.
speaking about the 2 land cruisers that reportedly come with a service kit for one year together with a set of four extra wheels, IFAW Programmes Director for landscape Mr. Philip Kuvawoga said:
Zimparks and IFAW signed a memorandum of agreement for conservation support focusing on Hwange and Zambezi National Parks in terms of law enforcement, infrastructure development, and capacity building of front-line staff in order for them to be able to address poaching pressures in the parks.
We started in the Makona sub-sector. The vehicles we provided to Zimparks are part of efforts to ensure that they have reliable off-road vehicles to enhance the mobility of their patrolling teams. But it’s an assortment of capital assets that we think can enhance the capacity of the authority to manage Hwange National Park.
ZimParks through its Spokesperson Tinashe Farawo thanked IFAW and said the donation will also boost the morale of the rangers:
We appreciate the donation of the vehicles as they will improve law enforcement and patrols and rangers need to be mobile as they can cover more ground. It will also assist us in addressing issues of problem animals in the parks. The housing also improves the standard of living for our officers and that in turn boosts their morale when they are at work
ZimParks has repeatedly said elephant overpopulation is among other things some of the problems they are battling.
More: The Sunday News