Celebrating 25 Years of Wildlife Conservation

Celebrating 25 Years Of Wildlife COnservatiOn in the lOWer ZambeZi

On the cusp of the confluence near a territorial hippo pod, where the Chongwe River flows into the mighty Zambezi, lies the entrance to a wild, thriving and sublime 4,000 square kilometres of Zambian heritage—the Lower Zambezi National Park. The park once sustained black rhino and today is home to iconic megafauna including elephant, lion, leopard, wild dog, pangolin and more…Through its versatile landscapes and plentiful species, there is no question that this magnificent ecosystem must be protected.

Working closely with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ) is an NGO with an aim to conserve the pristine wilderness of the park and its surrounding Game Management Areas and open areas (18,500 square kilometres). Since its humble beginnings in 1994, CLZ has significantly grown and developed into the sophisticated, advanced and holistic organisation it is today.

25 years ago, a few concerned stakeholders and the local wildlife authority noticed the dwindling elephant population andthe rise in poaching, plusincreasing human/ wildlife conflicts,and so decided to take action for wildlife protection. With just one second-hand Land Rover and a tarpaulin as an office shelter, the conservation journey began.

Through engaging an influential donor base and adapting approaches to counteract the ever-changing complexities of wildlife criminals, today CLZ and DNPW are tackling wildlife protection from all angles. In collaboration with nation-wide partners, officers have weaved intricate informer and intelligence networks, both regionally and across borders, leading to increased success, apprehensions and confiscations of illegal products. Through the development of specialised teams such as K9 and Rapid Response Units, plus increased aerial, river

Writer: Nikita Lyengar Photography: Francois D’Elbee, Scott Ramsay

and foot patrols, and as well as improved technologies that enable GPS tracking, law enforcement walls are pushing strong against poachers and syndicates and showcasing remarkable results.

Simultaneously, CLZ has also grown to incorporate an extensive environmental education programme that reaches 65 schools and over 3,000 learners annually, inspiring them to value their surroundings. The programme has a track record of successes, as dedicated adults have graduated from it to become wildlife police officers, educators and even CLZ’s very own operations manager. CLZ also works hard to support communities with human/ wildlife conflict incidences, and where possible, engages them in the value of keeping wildlife alive and how they can benefit from it in a sustainable manner.

The dedication and commitment shown by DNPW and CLZ are inspiring; particularly the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for the protection of wildlife. CLZ is committed to encourage, support and provide resources to these brave officers for as long as necessary. CLZ’s success would not be possible without the generous support of tourism and local stakeholders, as well as our donors and members, who all combine to enable us to continue our fight.

JULIET MUSESA ZULU

Hospitality Personified

Writer: Leelee Ngwenya Photography: Chiawa Camp

Juliet Musesa Zulu is the hospitality manager at Chiawa Camp, where she also works with its neighbouring camp Old Mondoro on the Lower Zambezi. She explains her role as, ‘My role begins before the guests actually arrive with us in camp. This is to ensure that the bookings are in and to know the numbers of guests that are going to be staying with us. I am responsible for ensuring that the guests have a fabulous time.’

Her journey in hospitality began as a child, and she explains, ‘I was born in Lusaka at UTH (University Teaching Hospital) and I went to Lusaka Girls and Kabulonga Girls Secondary School. My father was training manager at the InterContinental Hotel where he served the two InterContinental Hotels, Lusaka and Mosi-oa-Tunya. After his passing when I was in grade 11, he became my role model. Mum was transferred to Livingstone just when I completed high school in 1991 and I fell in love with the Victoria Falls back in 1990, during a national arts and theatre festival held in the tourist capital that year. At seeing the Falls, I shed tears at God’s awesome creation. Nothing in my entire life moved me so much emotionally and I understood why David Livingstone once described it as, ‘’Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.’’’ general manager for Mosi-oa-Tunya InterContinental Hotel at the time.

Speaking about her training, she explains, ‘I was solely trained by the group which no doubt up to now has one of the best training modules worldwide in hospitality. I worked as a hostess and after winning the Miss Tourism beauty pageant the following year, my marketing skills for our country’s tourism earned me a spot as a sales and marketing representative for the hotel. This opened up horizons as I got to learn about how the industry operates. I was exposed to general sales calls to travel agents, and the public and private sector, and I was later promoted to restaurant supervisor during the recession of the early 1990s. At the time business was tough but we had amazing incentives that made work worthwhile amidst a crumbling economy.’

One industry difficulty is balancing her family and work life and she comments, ‘The safari business means you are away from home for long periods of time; I am only home full time from November to April. But when you are doing something that you love that puts food on the table, your family will understand.’

With 28 years of experience in hospitality Juliet enthuses, ‘I love the work that I do and 2019 marks my third season with Chiawa Camp as hospitality manager. Welcoming back our repeat guests and having new guests is something I cherish and that I look forward to all the time.’