Sunday 27/03/2022 Get Your Free Copy Of The Victoria Falls News e-Newspaper. Subscribe On marketing@victoriafallsnews.co.zw or Send A Message To +263 78 822 0487 READ MORE STORIES ON: victoriafallsnews.co.zw This Week On Victoria Falls News Victoria Falls World Heritage Status Hangs in Balance Botswana Drops Vaccine Mandate for Travelers Namibia Defends Sale of Elephants to UAE Zoo Zambia Game Farming gives People and Wildlife hope S.Africa loosens Covid restrictions to bring back tourism Southern Africa Local and Travel News Victoria Falls World Heritage Status Hangs in Balance There are fears the Victoria Falls could be delisted as a World Heritage Site following massive construction activities either side of the Zambezi River might have tampered some animal corridors and natural sites. These have been carried out on either side of the Zambezi River, between Zambia and Zimbabwe since the United Nations Educational, Scienti fi c and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) added Victoria Falls to that list in 1989. This was based on its unique geomorphologic formation and remarkable natural beauty. UNESCO is assessing if the destination still quali fi es as a World Heritage Site. As the custodian of these sites, UNESCO recently sent a monitoring team to assess the current state of Victoria Falls and its environs. #News The UN body has the mandate to carry periodic assessments. Zambia National Commission Secretary General for UNESCO, Charles Ndakala, led the monitoring team. He mentioned possible outcomes, which include downgrading/red-listing or removed from the list. "We were assessing as mandated to check the effects of developments on the World Heritage site. This also includes the planned Batoka project as we wanted to engage stakeholders to fi nd out how it will affect tourism upstream," said Ndakala. He was speaking during a recent meeting with tourism stakeholders in Victoria Falls after similar meetings on the Zambian side. Ndakala said the committee will compile #Local a report with its fi ndings. "This process will result in a report that will be presented to superiors at the upcoming UNESCO World Heritage Convention in June," the of fi cial said. "The report will determine whether Victoria Falls continues as a listed World Heritage Site or it gets downgraded which is also called red-listing, or is totally removed from the list." "This is only assessment for potential impact of the threats since there are certain parameters to be followed in terms of the need to preserve tourism and value of the product," Ndakala said. Tanyaradzwa Mundoga, Zimbabwe Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Ministry deputy director responsible for Natural Resources, said there is need to safeguard the natural habitat so as to keep Victoria Falls in its pristine state. Tourism executive, Clement Mukwasi, who is Shearwater Adventures spokesperson, said the industry will be guided by the UNESCO fi ndings. ). Victoria Falls' falling water blanket is about 1,7km wide and falls 108 metres down the gorge and is classi fi ed as the largest waterfall in the world. The waterfall is within Victoria Falls National Park, which together with the Victoria Falls bridge, attract a signi fi cant number of tourists annually. It is one of the fi ve World Heritage Sites in Zimbabwe, others being Khami and Great Zimbabwe ruins both declared in 1986, Matobo Hills (2003) as well as Mana Pools (1984 #Travel @Daniel Jones UNITED Kingdom-based Kibo Energy PLC, has acquired the Victoria Falls Solar Park project for £10 million (about US$13 million) in a key development for the country’s renewable energy sector. Listed on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM), Kibo Energy con fi rmed acquisition of the project from Broom fi eld International Ltd in a statement Monday. The renewable energy development company is also building a portfolio of waste-to-energy operations in South Africa and sees the Victoria Falls project expanding its footprint on the continent. “We are pleased to have been in a favourable position to participate in this Transaction, which is timely, following #News the Company’s strategy to disinvest from fossil fuels and focus on renewable and clean energy projects,” said Kibo CEO Louis Coetzee. “Drawing from our investments into the reserve power market, development of waste-to-energy projects in Southern Africa and the UK, as well as strategic partnerships with key long duration energy storage players, we are positioning the company for growth. “This places Kibo at the heart of a very bright and renewable future for energy.” He added; “The Company has worked tirelessly over the past 6 months to reach the point where it will now have an asset portfolio with producing renewable energy assets and several near #Local production assets. “The near production renewable energy assets all have a time horizon of less than 18 months to fi rst production.” The project was primarily conceived for self-consumption and, in particular, to supply power to the company’s data centre and a commuter rail electri fi cation project. However, developers did not rule out selling some of the generated power. According to Kimbo, the project roll out is being implemented in phases of 25MW, starting with 5 MW being connected to the grid in April 2022 and 20 MW before December 2022. “The fi rst 25 MW of the Project is fully funded and currently under construction,” the company said in its statement. “The demand and need for fully renewable power in Zimbabwe are now recognized as a national priority and backed up by Zimbabwean government policy directed at infrastructure investment.” The statement added; “Broom fi eld has additional renewable energy projects (hydro, wind and solar) under its portfolio, at various locations in Africa, with an installed capacity of 160.4 MW, in which a right of fi rst refusal will be granted to Kibo as part of the Transaction.” UK based fi rm acquires 100MW Victoria Falls Solar project for £10m @Leonard Ncube Kibo CEO Louis Coetzee. Dangerous ZRP Dog On The Loose A dangerous Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) dog is on the loose in Victoria Falls and police have appealed to residents to help them track it down. A council of fi cial said the dog is a German Shepherd and residents should avoid playing with it or putting it on a leash. The dog allegedly strayed out of its kennel on Saturday and police are frantically trying to locate it before it harms people. Said the council of fi cial: ZRP has lost a German Shepherd that is black in colour and has a brown colour on its chest. This dog is dangerous and risky, we are therefore appealing to you residents of Victoria Falls to report if you come across it, or if you know of someone who is keeping it, you should contact police on 0773 415 311. You can also alert police of fi cers at your nearest police station. According to CITE, German Shepherds are preferred by the police because of their noble character, loyalty, curiosity, high intellect and obedience. Victoria Falls Lodge Listed On The 14 Best Boutique Hotels Around The World. You can stay at the most beautiful, most luxurious hotels in the world, but often that means you're one of 500 guests. At a boutique hotel, however, you are never treated as one of many. When you stay at a property with just a handful of rooms — be it oceanfront villas or thatched-roofed chalets — you can expect a level of service that's often unattainable at large-scale hotels. From private safaris through Zambezi Park Area to personalized butler service and private chefs, the world's best boutique hotels know how to deliver. To ensure quality and a next-level dedication to service, we reviewed each top-ranked hotel featured in the 2021 Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards and put together a curated list of just 14 properties with fewer than 20 rooms. The result is a smattering of intimate properties that don't skimp on service — whether it's a safari lodge in Botswana or an adults-only retreat in the Costa Rican jungle. Matesti Lodge in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe made the list, Travel & Leisure stated that it's about more than #News #Local ERRATIC rainfall patterns have affected wildlife projects in most parts of the country including the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (Kaza TFCA) where communities heavily depend on proceeds from wildlife sales for their livelihoods. The projects fall under the Community Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (Camp fi re).Camp fi re Association director Charles Jonga told NewsDay that they were now exploring new livelihood avenues to reduce over-dependence on wildlife. “Most of the communities within the Kaza TFCA rely heavily on wildlife income from the Camp fi re programmes and these areas have the lowest agricultural potential due to very low rainfall as they are only technically considered as suitable for wildlife,” Jonga said. “With the COVID-19 effects; travelling restrictions led to limited hunts. There were low tourist fi gures and this meant that communities needed to diversify and look for other livelihood programmes,” he said, adding that the Camp fi re programmes were generating #Travel twice-daily game drives and walking safaris at the Matetsi Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. The family-owned property sits right on the banks of the Zambezi river near the largest waterfall on Earth: Victoria Falls. The property has 18 stand-alone suites (including two family suites) and a private villa with four en-suite rooms, an outdoor pool, and an expansive outdoor dining area where you can enjoy meals prepared by your own private chef. Other establishments that made the list include Mahali Mzuri, in Masai Mara Kenya, Grace Hotel in Santorini Greece, Savute Elephant Lodge located in the Chobe National Park in Botswana, Nobu Ryokan Malibu in California, andBeyond Phinda Vlei Lodge in South Africa, Pickering House Inn in New Hampshire, The Roundtree in New York, Gibb's Farm in Tanzania, Khwai River Lodge, a Belmond Safari in Botswana, The Bushcamp Company's Mfuwe Lodge in Zambia, Ngala Safari Lodge in South Africa, Sasaab in Kenya and Casa Chameleon in Costa Rica. Erratic rainfall a ff ects wildlife projects too little to sustain community activities. “To ensure improved standards of living and well-being of communities, strategies are crucial in opening new livelihood avenues that can ensure individual households bene fi ciation. Crops and livestock in the areas are affected by wildlife which raids them. There is need for other sustainable livelihood options,” he said. “Ownership of strategies by the communities will ensure their dedication to implement various proposed strategies. Communities have relied more on natural resources, agriculture and natural based tourism.” The Kaza TFCA area cuts across borders of fi ve southern African countries; namely Zimbabwe, Angola, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia and it is the world’s largest terrestrial conservation area. The Kaza livelihoods diversi fi cation strategy seeks to empower communities with a wider range of livelihood choices through supporting the development of human, social, productive and fi nancial capital, thus reducing unsustainable dependency on diminishing natural capital reserves. @Obert Siamilandu Wildlife bears brunt of climate change Trevor Lane, a veteran conservationist working around Zimbabwe’s largest game reserve has been witnessing the devastating effects of climate change on the country’s wildlife. Lane, who is founder of Bhejane Trust, a non-pro fi t wildlife conservation organisation operating around Hwange and the Zambezi National Parks, said he has seen some wild animals dying of thirst or being abandoned by their families because of exhaustion. His organisation has been mobilising resources to fund maintenance of water points for wildlife, anti-poaching activities and rehabilitation of watering holes, among other conservation projects. The demands of his job keep increasing because of the devastating effects of climate change such as recurrent droughts that are taking a toll on wildlife at the two game reserves. Lane told of an incident where he saw an elephant calf at the Hwange National Park’s Masuma Dam being abandoned by its family as it couldn’t keep up with the rest of the herd due to exhaustion. As water sources dry up, animals such as elephants and buffaloes are forced to walk several kilometres in search of water and the weak sometimes die due to exhaustion or are abandoned by their herds. Lane said last year as he approached Masuma Dam, he saw an elephant herd that had been drinking from the muddy dam and as the huge mammals were moving off, a calf was abandoned due to exhaustion. “The herd waited a bit, and presumably the mother came back to try and chivvy it, with no luck, and in the end the herd moved off, leaving the calf behind, its fate sealed in the blistering sun,” the veteran conservationist recounted. “It was a lonely, desperate, miserable death, but such is nature.” Lane also shared footage of an impala that conservationists rescued after it got stuck in the mud at the park’s Sinamatella Dam. He said such tragic scenarios for wild animals were playing out at many pans and water holes especially around the dry months of October, November and December despite efforts by conservationists to ensure watering holes were replenished all the time. “They have been very tough months with relentless temperatures exceeding 400C everyday — the endless scorching hot, cloudless days, with hot winds blowing,” Lane said. “One thermometer left exposed in the sun on rocks recorded 54 degrees last year.” “The stress caused by these conditions on the wildlife has been immense, especially the elephants. They visibly lose condition with prominent spines and pelvic bones and at midday you see the animals, from elephant to tsessebe to reedbuck, crammed under any available shade to get out of the burning rays.” According to a 2016 report produced by Olga Kupika, Edson Gandiwa and Godwell Nhamo titled: “Impacts of Climate Change and Climate Variability on Wildlife Resources in Zimbabwe”, frequent droughts in particular have led to the death of several wildlife species at local game reserves. #News #Local “Changes in rainfall and temperature patterns in fl uence habitat quality and consequently abundance of distribution of wildlife species,” the report says. Large herbivores such as the elephants and hippopotamus in particular are vulnerable to climate change due to their ecology, whereas other species are less vulnerable. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) noted that climatic changes are occurring at a faster rate than expected, particularly in southern Africa. IPCC estimates that between 10% and 24% of mammal species in sub-Saharan Africa national parks have succumbed to droughts. Lane said climate change has seen masses of immigrant elephants from Botswana seeking refuge in Zimbabwe, which also puts pressure on the habitat at local game reserves. Wildlife and Environment Zimbabwe said its recent game count showed that where they normally recorded between 23 000 to 25 000 elephants a year, in 2019 they counted the number up to about 43 000. Lane said due to high temperatures, the excess elephants plus the normal resident wildlife put tremendous pressure on the northern western Matabeleland North parks’ water points. “The elephants have tended to monopolise the fresh water troughs, keeping other animals out,” he said. “To date, we have lost very few elephants to the drought, but in the main camp area the situation is far worse with the ongoing climate change effects and if these hot dry spells persist for much longer, our situation could get worse” He added: “One problem we do face is the elephants who sometimes overcome our defences and trash the pump heads. “They obviously detect the well water and get frustrated, but it does not help, we are thus on continuous call out monitoring all the water points and trying to keep the water fl owing.” Our saving grace last year was that we had late heavy rains in April,which fi lled up the pans and freshened the vegetation. “This gave us an extra couple of months reprieve and the natural water only dried up completely in September. However, the main camp area did not get this rain, and they have suffered as a consequence. “Once the rains come, the Botswana elephant will go home, the park will green up and there will be a big sigh of relief all round!” Some of the challenges Lane and his team face include locals and foreigners who vandalise solar panels and batteries at watering holes inside the parks, which pegs back conservation work. “We have lost 46 solar panels and a number of pumps to thieves in the Hwange and Zambezi national parks and that’s to an estimate of around US$20 000,” he said. “Our investigations prove that foreign thieves who cross into the country through the Zambezi River and commit the crimes overnight evade our game rangers especially around the rainy seasons as they struggle to penetrate into the bush.” @Nokuthaba Dlamini On March 8 this year, Bhejane Trust had its two pumps stolen from number three water pan, putting an enormous strain on water supply. Bhejane is currently running 46 pumps and a borehole inside the game reserves. “Issues to address are that we need to increase the water supply to some of the existing water holes by adding a second borehole and pump,” he added. “We have already made moves on this, having drilled one new hole in Kazuma and another new one in the Chamabonda area to supplement existing supplies and we need to spread water as much as possible. “One of our newly equipped boreholes at Mahoboti in the very back area of Robins Camp (and which had not been pumped for decades) had over 800 elephants drinking in 24 hours, so this took 800 elephants away from the underpressure Masuma and Shumba pans. We also need to make smaller and shallower troughs, so that water can escape downstream to pans for the smaller animals. “And we need to reinforce our pump heads against the destructive elephants.” The Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has been pushing for the lifting of the ban on ivory trading imposed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) to help fund conservation activities. Zimbabwe is sitting on ivory stocks worth US$600 million worth of ivory and rhino horns mostly from animals that die due to natural attrition. Authorities in Zimbabwe estimate that the country’s elephant population now stands above 100 000. It is the second largest herd in Africa behind Botswana. Lane’s other calling is to keep poachers away from the game reserves in Matabeleland North province.Poachers have over the years been using cyanide to kill wild animals. Between 2013 and 2016 when elephant poaching reached unprecedented levels, ZimParks said cyanide was used to poison salt pans. In one incident in 2015, 23 elephant carcasses were recovered from a Hwange National Park’s watering hole and conservationists say poachers had a habit of trapping elephants through water poisoning. In 2013, nine elephants, fi ve lions and two buffaloes were poisoned. Other poachers would throw oranges laced with cyanide along elephant corridors. Poachers Use Cyanide to Kill Jumbo in Lupane ZIMPARKS rangers stumbled upon a decomposing elephant carcass suspected to have fallen victim to cyanide poisoning in Lupane Friday. The incident has triggered fears poachers using the highly potent chemical may be on the loose once again, nearly a decade after Zimbabwe lost hundreds of jumbo and other species in similar fashion. The tragedy, which occurred in 2013, was dubbed as Zimbabwe's worst ecological disaster in history. Investigations have since started as police have ruled out natural death after establishing there was a bucket containing some liquid substance close to the carcass. However, the dead elephant still had its tusks intact. "The ZRP is investigating a case of suspected poaching by cyanide poisoning in which a carcass of a decomposed elephant cow was found in Ngano Forestry near Sikungwa Village, Lupane on 15/03/22. "The carcass had its tusks intact, however, a half fi lled 10 litre bucket with a liquid substance suspected to be #News #Local cyanide, was recovered close to the elephant carcass," police spokesman Paul Nyathi said. In 2020, the country mysteriously lost 11elephants which were again found with the tusks still on their bodies, ruling out poaching. The mysterious deaths appear similar to the deaths of more than 275 elephants in neighbouring Botswana during the same year. Scientists later con fi rmed an outbreak of a rare disease clearing poaching, poisoning and anthrax fears. However, in recent years, poachers in Zimbabwe have poisoned dozens of elephants and taken their tusks to sell them to illegal ivory traders. Zimbabwe has the second largest, estimated at 85,000 after Botswana which has the world's largest elephant population estimated at 156 000. There was a huge scandal in Zimbabwe back in 2015 with the Zimbabwe Wildlife Management Authority reporting three separate incidents in which 40 elephants were killed by cyanide poisoning. Three were killed in the Kariba area, of cyanide put in oranges. The rest were killed in the Hwange National Park. @Mary Taruvinga Stray Bu ff alo Herd Spo � ed In Mutare THE Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks) has urged villagers in Marange area of Mutare West constituency to be on high alert after a herd of buffaloes strayed into the area. This follows an earlier incident in which a herd of stray elephants besieged the area last week, resulting in Zimparks rangers putting down two of them to avert a possible human-wildlife con fl ict. Buffaloes are deadly, highly temperamental animals that can attack human beings on sight and do not need any provocation. Zimparks spokesperson, Tinashe Farawo con fi rmed the matter to NewZimbabwe.com on Tuesday saying the buffaloes could have strayed from Save Valley Conservancy which hosts ‘The Big Five’. “We are working with Mutare Rural District council on the ground to ensure that we can capture the buffaloes back into the parks. These animals are not only a threat to people’s lives or crops since they have a risk of transferring diseases, especially foot and mouth,” Farawo said. He added the buffaloes spotted around Chiadzwa area, using the same route as the elephants. Farawo urged communities in Marange to minimise movements during the night so as to avoid con fl icts with stray wild animals. “Villagers must give these animals some space and allow them to move freely. The animals feel threatened if they are attacked. Communities must ensure that they provide as much information as possible so that we rescue them within the shortest possible time,” he said. Farawo noted that there also is a need to balance the human and wildlife population in order to curb incidents of human-wildlife con fl icts in Zimbabwe. “If we look back maybe 20 years ago, our human population was not what it is today, even that of our wildlife. Human and wildlife population is expanding while the country has not expanded so those problems are bound to happen,” said Farawo. @Felix Matasva Bold Steps to Boost Zim Tourism Zimbabwe's tourism digital marketing campaign was rated one of the top eight out of the 109 exhibiting countries at the ongoing Expo 2020 Dubai. This comes as the world starts to notice improvements within the sector aimed at attaining a US$5 billion tourism economy by 2025. Cabinet yesterday also announced a 100 percent retention of foreign earnings by the sector, and a waiver of value added tax on domestic tourism, as well as duty exemption facility, among other measures to help the sector recover after being ravaged by Covid-19. Investment in the tourism sector has risen from US$86 million in 2020 to US$142 million last year. Speaking after yesterday's Cabinet meeting, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, explained the measures that Government was taking to boost the tourism sector. "The country's tourism digital marketing campaign was rated by Dubai Expo 2020 as one of the top eight out of the 109 exhibiting countries," she said. "The 2020 and 2021 editions of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism #News #Local Expo were held virtually with limited participants. The 2022 Edition will be held in Bulawayo as a full physical event." Minister Mutsvangwa announced the launch of the ZimBho campaign in 2020, which helped improve domestic tourism and increased domestic entries into national parks to 251 088 in 2021 compared to 173 714 in 2020. On investment promotion she said: "Tourism investments increased from US$86 million in 2020 to US$142 million in 2021. A total of US$133,2 million was invested in public-private partnership tourism-related construction projects between 2021 and 2022 involving the Forestry Commission." Notable investments were in accommodation facilities built in Victoria Falls and renovation of existing ones as well as in Harare, Makhado in Beitbridge, new conference facilities and Hot Plate Grill restaurants opened throughout the country. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) is also refurbishing its lodges in Nyanga, Vumba, and Chimanimani National Parks. @Nokuthaba Dlamini Zimparks also launched new tourism products to diversify attractions in the national parks and these include Sikato Lion Encounter in Masvingo province, the Chinhoyi Lion Encounter in Mashonaland West Province, and the Tshabalala Lion Encounter and Entertainment area in Matabeleland South province. In terms of connectivity, Minister Mutsvangwa said Qatar Airways commenced fl ights into Zimbabwe on August 1 last year, while other airlines that service the local air space to access tourism facilities are Mack Air of Botswana, Fastjet which has scheduled fl ights that connect Victoria Falls to Kruger National Park, Falcon Air Safaris, with the District Development Fund now servicing Hwange Airport. Luftansa's Eurowings will service the Frankfurt-Windhoek-Victoria Falls route from March 30. These services are in addition to those already being offered by Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, South African AirLink, Rwandair, Air Tanzania and Emirates. Minister Mutsvangwa said the waiver of value added tax (VAT) on domestic tourism and duty exemption facility will help improve access to tourism products and services by the domestic market through extended price reductions. "A total of 117 applicants received tax rebates valued at US$11 301 721 in 2021, compared to the 81 applicants that received US$2 399 957 in 2020," she said. "The rebates were for capital goods and speci fi ed motor vehicles. Government paid $198 million to support operations of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), whose operations are normally funded by a 2 percent levy charged on services provided to both domestic and international tourists." Minister Mutsvangwa said the Tourism Satellite Account which is a statistical tool for the measurement of tourism's contribution to the Gross Domestic Product, trade and employment in the economy, was now operational. She said Cabinet also resolved that the Statutory Instrument on duty rebates be amended to give the ZTA the exclusive mandate to recommend applicants to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development for duty processing. @Mukudzei Chingwere #Travel Kanga Camp in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe The six-tent luxury camp is situated right on the rim of a large pan that is the only source of water in the area during the dry season. The tents and lounge/dining area overlook the pan, making for unbeatable game-viewing. Kanga Camp is situated in the north-western region of Mana Pools National Park, and is a 90-minute fl ight or fi ve-hour drive from Harare. Understated safari chic is what this camp is all about. The reception area is a raised wooden platform that leads from the bar onto the lounge and dining space, both of which are built under a large, shady nyala-berry tree and overlooking the pan. Chunky wood and antique pieces of furniture are used to create visual boundaries under a pitched canvas roof, while soft cushions add a touch of colour to the space. Directors chairs surround the camp fi re and overlook the pan. Accommodation is in comfortable canvas tents, which you reach via a pathway under the trees. After dark you are accompanied by an armed ranger to get between your tent and the dining area. Kanga call their camp an 'armchair safari' because of its location at a popular pan: one really doesn’t need to leave the camp to see an abundance of wildlife. There is a photographic hide at the camp, too. Safari drives and (seasonal) walking safaris with exceptionally knowledgeable guides are included in your stay at Kanga – and these are bound to be a highlight of your trip. Service at this intimate camp is outstanding and the philosophy here is that anyone who stays at the camp is family. There is a communal (well stocked) bar, lounge and camp fi re area, as well as a refreshing plunge pool. Due to its remote location there is no Wi-Fi. The camp runs off solar power and there is a charging station for devices in the bar area. Laundry is complimentary. There are only six tents at Kanga: four standard tents and two family/honeymoon tents. Although not spacious, the standard tents are big enough and have a comfortable queen-sized bed (some are twin), a dressing area, and a sideboard on which stands cold water and tea/coffee making facilities. There is also a small veranda out front, looking straight over the Kanga Pan. The outdoor bathrooms are a highlight, offering unbeatable views of the pan from the shower. The two larger tents are exceptionally spacious, with a four-poster bed as well as two large daybeds that can be made up into beds for children. There is ample lounging space on the varanda and, best of all, a ball-and-claw bath that has a view over the pan. All food and drinks are included in your stay and, as with most safari camps, you’re unlikely to ever go hungry. Meals include an early morning buffet breakfast, coffee and snacks while on a game drive, a substantial cooked brunch, afternoon tea, sundowner drinks and snacks followed by a three-course dinner. Food is tasty and wine carefully selected for each meal. #News #Local @Narina Exelby #Travel In the search for sustainable economic development, commercial game farming has emerged as one of Zambia’s ‘new’ ventures and has shown immense potential to create sustainable employment thereby reducing poverty levels whilst also helping to conserve our precious wildlife species. Although not new at all, given the industry has been around for several decades, it is being seen through a new lens. Traditionally most Zambia game farms are side-lines to large scale commercial arable or cattle farms. This is in great contrast to other countries in the region where game farming is booming. South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe have thriving industries that provide live animals and meat for sale. In a 2013 report for the Wildlife Producers Association of Zambia, Dr Peter Lindsey estimated that game ranching, crocodile farming and the game capture and trading industries have a combined turnover of approximately USD15.7 million per annum[1]. While that might sound like a lot, there is a lot more potential in Zambia for game ranching. The report also interesting stated that game ranching provided more income per kilogram of biomass than livestock farming. Further, game ranching allows for the utilization of marginal lands and provides a buffer against drought and climate change, something that Zambia is currently experiencing. Dr Lindsey found that ranchers who utilized wildlife in addition to crop farming and/or livestock farming boosted their income by an average of 23%. Although more than 6 years have passed since this report was produced, the game industry is Zambia is still yet to fully take off. Game farming has immense potential for growth in Zambia. Zambia has a relatively small but highly urbanized population. This provides large tracts of underutilized land most of which is not suitable for livestock farming but ideal for game. As climate change causes changes in temperature and rainfall patterns, #News change than livestock farming and may thus provide a buffer for global negative climate change effects. Due to endemic foot-and-mouth-disease status, the export of beef and other livestock products to the European Union is challenging for Zambia, whilst focusing on an domestic game market in Zambia could potentially do away with the stringent and often expensive veterinary controls that limit wildlife-based land uses in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. However, Zambia has not fully explored its game farming potential. According to the Wildlife Producers Association of Zambia (WPAZ), only a small number of recreational game farms are scattered throughout the country. WPAZ’s Chairman Ian Robinson, explains that the revenues collected from the country’s game farms are so small they have no real meaning or signi fi cance. Meanwhile, South Africa’s commercial game farming industry generates more money from game farming than from agriculture, at over USD6 billion per annum. The biggest difference between Zambia and the countries that are making fortunes from game farming is that Zambia has been losing its wildlife to illegal, unsustainable and unregulated industries like poaching and the illegal bushmeat trade for years. As a result, Zambia is losing out on the social and economic bene fi ts that it could otherwise realize from its wildlife resource for current and future generations.There are many ways in which Zambia can pro fi t from a well-established and fully functional game farming industry. A SOURCE OF LEGAL GAME MEAT Knock on any door in Zambia and you will likely fi nd someone who consumes game meat. Zambia has a signi fi cant market for game meat that is currently being provided for by bushmeat which is illegally and unsustainably sourced. It is an undeniable fact that Zambians love game meat. It has always been an important part of the diets of many as it is thought to be tasty and has cultural connotations. This has created a high demand that has sadly only been met so far by a small supply of legal game meat. Ian Robinson revealed that Zambia’s On the other hand, a fully functional game farm can create employment for over 150 people from the local community through farm workers, drivers, administrators, veterinary doctors and many other support staff. It can also provide the government with a sustainable income, through taxes, for the improvement of life in communities around game farms and the rest of the country. This is already happening in Zambia, where the few thriving game farms have created employment for local people and are helping local communities through monies given to Community Resource Boards. However, there is great potential for this to improve signi fi cantly. That will require a deliberate effort encourage the growth of the game farming industry. The Ministry of Tourism and Arts, through DNPW have made several public statements encouraging the growth of this industry and new policy reforms are hoped to support its further development. It is dif fi cult to talk about game farming without talking about how one can become a game farmer in Zambia. Farmers can visit the DNPW of fi ces in Chilanga for information on how to set up legal game parks as well as fi nd out what game would be best to rear on the proposed farm land. In addition, How to start a game ranch an article by The Ministry of Tourism and Arts Public Relations Of fi cer Sakabilo Kalembwe, is also a good way to get an introduction to legal game farming as it discusses in depth the necessary procedure for starting a game farm in Zambia. In the meantime, next time you are offered bushmeat, think twice about the impact you are really having on our country, our environment and your stomach. Be sure to ask to see a licence to ensure you are eating legal game meat to make sure you really know what’s on your plate. Zambia Game Farming gives People and Wildlife hope @Mwebantu game meat demand is 10 times the current legal supply. Taking advantage of this, ruthless poachers have created an illegal bushmeat industry that poses a serious threat to Zambia’s wildlife populations through unethical, un-selective and unsustainable hunting methods such as snaring and poisoning. Due to the hunting methods and processing utilized, bush meat is often not fi t for consumption as people never really know what animal they are eating or under what conditions the meat was prepared. Diseases are often reported by consumers of illegal bush meat. For example, an outbreak of Anthrax currently being experienced in the Lower Zambezi may well be contaminating illegal sources of bush meat unknown to unsuspecting consumers. Game farming therefore poses an opportunity to create a supply of game meat that is legal, fi t for consumption and most importantly, sustainable. If properly marketed, legal game meat can quickly win the hearts of many, after all, Zambians rightly love a trusted source. To this effect, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) in collaboration with Wildlife Crime Prevention (WCP) is currently running a campaign dubbed This Is Not A Game, which is meant to sensitize the public on the dangers of illegal bushmeat as well as to point consumers to the right sources of legal game meat. A SUSTAINABLE WAY TO CREATE EMPLOYMENT On average, the illegal bushmeat trade creates employment for only a few people, mainly the poachers and the illegal traders. All of whom put their freedom at risk every time they participate in illegal activities. It does not create employment for many people outside the supply chain nor does it provide long term sustainable income. Further, the illegal bushmeat industry is not regulated so neither the local communities nor the rest of the country bene fi t in any way. Ultimately it signi fi cantly reduces the chances of any Zambian bene fi ting from our vast natural resources. #Zambia Visit Our Shop In Victoria Falls US$1500 US$2500 US$3000 US$4000 Thorntree River Lodge has an enviable position right on the banks of the great Zambezi River in Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park, only 30 minutes from Victoria Falls. Despite only being a fi ve-minute drive off the main road you’re far enough from Livingstone to feel a sense of remoteness but close enough to the famous falls for easy sightseeing. Livingstone Airport is a 25-minute drive away. This airy, tented lodge feels like an extension of the Zambezi, with large open spaces, fl oor-to-ceiling windows and a cool colour palette of blue, grey and white mirroring the frothing river. Built around jackalberry and red mahogany trees, the al fresco dining area overlooks the water, over which a fl oating deck with its own fi repit extends. The open-plan lounge area behind the deck, with walls made of wooden sleepers, is furnished with plenty of comfy sofas and blue-and-white fi sh print beanbags. There is a main pool with partially submerged sun loungers (plus private pools for each suite), a spa, gym and a small shop. The snug library at the back of the property sees more than a normal amount of activity, as it’s the only place you can access Wi-Fi. The staff are friendly and helpful, though not always the speediest; at breakfast during my #News stay they seemed a bit thin on the ground. The 12 rooms are designed so that guests can spend the entire day locked away, appreciating the sights and sounds of the Zambezi. There are private plunge pools in front of each suite, complimentary minibars, and inside and outside bathrooms (including a stand-alone bathtub). The best thing a