Lower Zambezi Aerial Survey
Eyes in the skies as CLZ works with ZAWA to conduct an aerial survey of the Lower Zambezi elephant and large mammal population
Funded by USFWS, in October CLZ completed a 12 day aerial game count in the Lower Zambezi National Park and surrounding areas in conjunction with Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), led by Petri Viljoen. ZAWA Ecologist Howard Maimbo, Senior Officer O’brian Hamoonga, CLZ’s Peter Tembo and BCP’s Hassan Sachedina assisted the survey which covered an area of just under 10,000 kms2. Expected to be available by the end of the year, the results will be used by ZAWA in Zambia’s aerial survey of National Parks and Game Management Area systems currently taking place to better understand wildlife populations. It is hoped that this data will help to set sustainable hunting quotas in the future. With the last reliable elephant population figures for the Lower Zambezi standing at 2,150 in 2005, collecting more recent data is vital to assess the effectiveness of CLZ and ZAWA conservation activities.
New Patrol Kit for 100 officers
With thanks to USFWS and AWF, earlier this month CLZ were able to distribute new patrol equipment to 80 ZAWA Wildlife Police Officers as well as 20 CLZ Village Scouts. Spending long stretches of time in remote terrain protecting Zambia’s wildlife these women and men risk their lives on a regular basis. Equipment such as new sleeping bags, back packs, tents, cooking apparatus, uniforms, GPS devices and a metal detector (to detect bullets in carcasses) will assist patrols in their duties on a daily basis, especially during the coming wet season. Thank you to those officers in the field.
Crop protecting chillies growing
Seven chilli nurseries have now been established by participants at the CLZ chilli training workshop . Local farmers learnt about sustainable solutions to human wildlife conflict such as using chilli fences to protect crops. The chillies will be transplanted into fields by the end of November for the coming rains. Last year chillies were grown by cooperative groups but participants felt that individual chilli farming would be more productive this year. In the coming weeks, Stephen Kalio, CLZ HWC Project Coordinator will be building a demonstration chilli fence and elephant safe granary store. Thanks to Awely for their constant support.
Thank you this month to
This month has been packed with fundraising activities at Oktoberfest, Fringilla Lodge, Zambezi Teaser at the Deli and Sundowners at Sugarbush Farm for the Elephant Charge 2013! We would like to thank everyone who has supported us at these fundraisers, every ngwee raised will directly support our conservation efforts with ZAWA in the Lower Zambezi.
There are just too many to mention here but we would like to say thank you to Proflight for their online donation cheque of K11,150, Grant Cumings of Chiawa for his extra donation of K53,600, Glenn Goodall for K26,500 and Riccardo of Kanyemba Lodge for K10,600, Gerry Carbin for supporting Maranda’s live performance. Thank you also to Tony Weber at Gwabi for his constant generosity with our boats!
We would also like to say a big thank you to the organisers of the Elephant Charge 2013, a fantastic charge again this year and a serious fundraising success for Zambian conservation. They raised US$170,000 in total (with another possible $100,000 pending). And if you don’t know what the Elephant Charge is?! Find out here and we will see you next year!
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Article written by: Conservation Lower Zambezi
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