We are Victoria Falls

COLLABORATIVE CONSERVATION EFFORTS STEPPED UP IN VICTORIA FALLS We areVICTORIA FALLS

[WRITER: Shelley Cox – We are Victoria Falls ] [ PHOTO: Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, Wild Horizons, Bhejane Trust ]

Conservation efforts around the world have traditionally suffered from sectional and isolated approaches, whether it be at an organizational level, from a funding perspective or by focusing on a specific species. Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic has seen so many on a global level insulate to ensure survival, the Victoria Falls community instead have been unique in their approach, and have united, and stepped up their efforts to support collective action and collaboration for conservation in and around the region.

The collaboration has helped mobilise a variety of skills and resources focusing on a coordinated approach to impact on multiple levels to ensure the biodiversity of the region is maintained and conserved not only in readiness for the return of tourism, but for the future generations of Zimbabweans.

Anti-Poaching Efforts

Together with the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit (VFAPU), the Wild Horizons Anti-Poaching Unit and Zambezi Horse Safaris have increased their patrols whether in vehicles, on foot or on horseback. To date these organisations working collaboratively have covered more than 2,404 patrols in the last year, amounting to an estimated 36,300 kilometers, and through these patrols have recovered an estimated 1,858 snares. also stepped up and have been assisting with manpower and logistical support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rescue and Rehabilitation

Working with the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, VFAPU Zambezi Horse Safaris, and the Wild Horizons Anti-Poaching Unit, the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust have responded to endless reports of injured, snared or compromised wildlife and have during the last year rescued an estimated 50 different animals and birds, treating or rehabilitating them and returning them back to their natural environment where possible.

Just one example of the many incredible collaborative successes was in November 2020, when two buffalo bulls, decided to take up residence in Victoria Falls town in CHOGM Park next to Cresta Sprayview Hotel. Together with the National Parks teams, stakeholders gathered to come up with a strategic rescue and relocation operation.

Alison Baker from Zambezi Horse Safaris was called in with her horses; the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust was ready to administer the drugs to allow for relocation, Parks and VFAPU scouts as well as Professional Guides were present to ensure spatial distancing of passer-bys and ensure no one was injured in the process, and a truck capable of lifting and carrying two Buffalo was required where fortunately Mr. Tinashe Manyau of Auto Towing stepped forward to assist and kindly provided a truck and crane at no cost for the operation.

Using the horses as cover the team approached to within 15 meters of the Buffalo and both darts went in on target within seconds of each other. Several minutes later both animals were drugged and were being dragged on a conveyor belt sled pulled behind a land cruiser towards the truck parked on the main road. They were lifted onto the truck with the crane and lightly strapped down. The buffalo bulls were moved 25 kilometers down the Kazungula road into the middle of the Zambezi National Park where they were slowly lowered to the ground using the crane, the reversal drug was administered, and they both safely returned back into the National Park away from town.

Reforestation

One of the goals of the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2030 includes “reversing the loss of forest cover worldwide through sustainable forest management, including protection, restoration, afforestation and reforestation, and increased efforts to prevent forest degradation and contribute to the global effort of addressing climate change.”

Throughout the COVID pandemic, stakeholders such as Treeco, Greenline Africa Trust and Wild Horizons have been working alongside the Forestry Commission on indigenous tree-planting initiatives to rehabilitate areas that have been impacted by land clearing, uncontrolled harvesting of firewood, and wood for carving. With indigenous trees planted from seed in nurseries in and around Victoria Falls, the seedlings once well enough established are then transplanted into areas in need of rehabilitation.

These reforestation efforts will have multiple long-term benefits to the destination, including and not limited to, preventing soil erosion and preserving the fertility of the soil, maintaining and reviving watersheds which also reduces climate change and global warming, supporting biodiversity of flora and fauna, and improvement of the air quality as a whole within the region.

Water for Wildlife and for Communities

A number of stakeholders in and around Victoria Falls have continued to work on projects focused on installing solar water pumps and boreholes to provide more sustainable, clean and reliable water sources for both wildlife and the bordering communities in and around Victoria Falls. Jafuta Foundation have been running a successful ‘water for sanitation’ project whereby a number of boreholes and toilet facilities are being developed in several of the rural communities on the outskirts of Victoria Falls. To date, seven community boreholes have been drilled and equipped over the past year to provide clean water to these communities. Access to clean water is a key component of community empowerment and health, and these boreholes also assist the community with maintaining their nutritional vegetable gardens.

Whilst the region has had an incredible rainy season, it is vital to prepare for the upcoming dry season. In 2011, Bhejane Trust extended their operations working with Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority from Hwange to the Zambezi National Park. Over the past 10 years the Bhejane Trust has been instrumental in reviving the Chamabonda Vlei section of the Park, resuscitating old boreholes, drilling new ones and installing solar pump units to restore the pans and ensure adequate water for wildlife throughout the year. During the course of the last year, several of the solar units and pumps have been stolen or vandalized and as such Bhejane Trust with the support of stakeholders has continued to work tirelessly to replace the stolen solar units and pump and conduct maintenance across the Chamabonda Vlei to ensure water for wildlife as the dry season starts to take shape.

Food and Nutritional Support

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the decline of tourism and revenue to the region, a variety of stakeholders including Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, Bhejane Trust and Wild Horizons stepped up their support for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to ensure the well-being of the Parks Rangers and their families, providing them with monthly food packs to ensure their nutritional well-being and provide a morale boost for struggling wildlife custodians who are on the frontlines daily, protecting the wildlife in the region.

The above efforts are just a highlight of the continued initiatives taking place on the ground to ensure Victoria Falls and the surrounding areas are adequately conserved during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring a healthy ecosystem, and that these efforts alongside others continue to push Victoria Falls forward as an attractive and “Sustainable Green Destination” for travellers in the future.

In a post-COVID world, the future of conservation and the key to its success - is collaboration. Collaboration that extends to businesses both public and private sector, local communities and visiting communities – such that it is not separate from, but part of our DNA as a global community. If there is one thing we can hope for in a post-COVID world, it is that we as humans and global citizens have learnt from this devastating pandemic to think and act differently for the well-being of our natural world, and the biodiversity of our wild open spaces.