African wildlife trivia: How do zebras camouflage?
See the answer at the end of the newsletter.

Celebrating our success—Zero elephants poached in
Mana Pools since 2019!

Highlights of this month's newsletter: 

• Update from BC President Nick Murray
• Field report from “Freedom” Hlongwane, BSU Operations Manager
• Interview with BSU Driver Trust Magweregwede
• Trip report from volunteer Board Member Charles Hanemann

Update from BC President Nick Murray

Violet and Rufus have puppies! She chose a den in the same general area as last year. Currently, the pack are doing well. We have seen 8 adults, and we think there are 6 pups that are not quite 2 months old. The pups will stay in the den with Violet for another month, so the rest of the pack is hunting for them, bringing back food that will be regurgitated for their consumption.

Below is a summary of the Zoom call with Nick that took place on June 22. The link was included in last month’s newsletter. 

Over the past 20 years, I have watched the regions along the Zambezi River drastically change due to the impacts of elephant poaching. The wildlife populations exponentially declined in Chewore and along the southern boundary areas between 2009 and 2014. Back in 2009, it was reported that there were 20,000 elephants roaming from Hurungwe through Chewore. By 2017, that number dropped to 9,000. This decline was a huge reason why I was inspired to further protect these amazing animals and their ecosystem by starting Bushlife Support Unit in 2015.

Although we haven’t had an elephant poached in Mana Pools since 2019, several elephants have been poached recently in Hurungwe. In one recent instance, we responded to gun shots. When we arrived, the elephant’s ivory had been untouched; it was the elephant’s meat that the poachers were after. What is considered most valuable continues to shift, from ivory to meat, and now vulture parts. In a recent development during the last 6-8 months, poachers have killed 300-400 vultures by poisoning an elephant and leaving its carcass for them to eat. Vultures are a key species that keep the ecosystem balanced. Losing such large numbers is a serious concern.

Currently, we’re working to protect the area that lies south of Mana Pools in the biosphere reserve. We built a ranger station that can accommodate 14 rangers who are now available to stop the logging, illegal gold panning, and hunting that was going on. They can also prevent settlers from invading the wildlife areas. The wildlife population is already rebuilding in the area, evidenced by sightings of a herd of sable, roan, and buffalo; a pack of wild dogs; and the sightings of other carnivores.

In an important development, this week the Zimbabwe and Zambia governments signed an agreement working towards a trans-frontier conservation area in the Zambezi Valley. This means there will be much more cooperation in regards to tracking poachers who try to escape by crossing the border. 

We recently received a permit to recollar some of the iconic bulls that have been collared in the past. These collars usually fall off the elephants after 3-4 years. Collaring is incredibly important for protecting these animals, especially when they wander into hunting zones. There are 11 collared as of now, but there are 2 or 3 bulls that have crossed from Zambezi that we are interested in collaring as well. On another note, the wound on Tusker’s stomach that we treated a few weeks ago has completely healed, and he is doing well.

The two new vehicles we received this year have helped our team tremendously. We no longer are slowed down by spontaneous breakdowns or broken parts. 

As always, thank you to everyone who has donated to help protect our incredible wildlife.

From the Field—BSU Operations Manager
Nkululeko “Freedom” Hlongwane

“Our generation is witnessing the greatest-ever increase in human population and at the same time a major decrease in biodiversity. The linkage is obvious: humans have benefited from their over-use of biodiversity, and biodiversity has supported the surge in the human population. It looks as though humans and biodiversity have conflicting agendas: broadly speaking, humans seek to improve their livelihoods, while biodiversity is trying to survive. Development and conservation goals appear to be opposed and conservation is losing the battle at this stage.” Wildlife Management Working Paper 13, Managing the Conflicts Between People and Lion, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN

Competition for space between humans and wildlife has become a threat to both animals and forests, the backbones of the tourism and community development projects. 

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) held a meeting with delegates and stakeholders at the Mid-Zambezi Region Chiefs’ Biodiversity Conservation, Indaba, in Kariba on June 16, 2023. In his speech, Director General Mangwanya said, “Today, due to the ever growing population in Africa and the whole world, we have noted with concern the competition for space between humans and wildlife.” Mangwanya continued, “As a result, landscapes are increasingly fragmented, hence disrupting free movement of wildlife leading to more frequent human wildlife conflicts.” 

He said conflict between humans and animals had been exacerbated by destructive actions, including cutting down trees and unplanned and uncontrolled veld fires that badly affect the wildlife’s habitat.

Our tourism is wildlife based, hence the need to guard jealously our heritage for present and future generations. Traditional leaders and local authorities are the planners and drivers for rural development through Community Based Natural Resources Programmes (CBNRM).

“As a country, Zimbabwe is endowed with rich biological diversity and is one of the world’s torch bearers when it comes to conservation of wildlife and other natural resources. This, of course, is strongly supported by the socio-economic benefits which are closely linked to our philosophy of sustainable conservation,” Mangwanya said.

Chief Negande, Nkawuso Mpofu, a traditional leader, said chiefs were the custodians of natural resources and heritage, adding, “We are the custodians of the wildlife as traditional leaders, hence we expect to benefit from them.”

The Indaba was organized by Zimparks with financial support from the African Wildlife Foundation. Invited stakeholders and development partners included Bushlife, Zambezi Society, Matusadona, and Fisheries Research Institute of Kariba. We were given the platform to share with the delegation the kinds of work and support we render to our respective communities, including our experiences with human-wildlife conflict, emerging issues in biodiversity conservation, and challenges in resource protection.

Resource protection

Zimparks and BSU anti-poaching operations are ongoing with various picket point and mobile patrols covering large areas of the landscape. As the winter season continues, many inland water sources are reported to be getting dry, and many deciduous plants have dropped their leaves.

Fire as a management tool: Prescribed burning in the southern parts of Mana Pools and Marongora 

The objective of this project is to reduce fuel load by applying cold burning (setting small blazes to clear underbrush). Fuel topography and weather factors are carefully considered when applying this technique to ensure goals are met while preventing undesired damage to forest resources.

Backing fires are another technique used for fire management. A fire is started along a baseline such as a road, stream, or other barrier and allowed to burn back into the wind. Backing fire is the easiest and safest type of prescribed fire to use, provided windspeed and direction are steady. It is usually done in the late afternoon when temperatures are low or early morning when wind speed is diminished. 

Occasionally, in areas with sparse and uniform vegetation growth, a single line of heading fire may be set along the upwind edge and allowed to move over the entire area to accomplish the objective more effectively. 

Human-Wildlife Conflict

In yet another incident of wild animals attacking human habitations, a leopard entered a small hut in a remote village in Vuti and killed 4 goats.

According to locals, the incident took place on Tuesday night. “I closed my goats in their hut on Tuesday night and went to sleep; however, at around midnight, l was woken by my dog barking and did not bother to go out and check. When I went to check on them Wednesday morning, I found that 4 of them were dead, each having either signs of animal tooth or claws. My dog was nowhere to be seen,” said a 40-year-old Vuti farmer, the owner of the goats.

In addition to the 4 dead goats, 3 goats were injured and more than 6 went missing during the last few months. “We thought someone from the village was stealing our livestock. After locating a big cat spoor, I went with several others around the nearby forest looking for the leopard; however, we did not find anything because the grass is too tall and dangerous for walking. We then decided to inform the authorities who came to investigate and set a cage trap. Unfortunately, the animal never returned.” The farmer from Vuti continued, “We are fearing for our kids now and our vulnerable livestock.”

Meanwhile, Zimparks officials said that it looks like at least 1 big leopard was involved in the livestock predation. “We are investigating and trying to trace the animal that attacked the village,” said a local official. The authorities are also planning to install cages in the village so the leopard can be caught,” said the Acting Senior Area Manager from Marongora.

Hyenas

A pack of hyenas has been killing livestock in some parts of the Nyamakate area in Hurungwe District, Mashonaland West Province. Recently, Mr Mapfunde from Lima village lost a cow and 3 goats from a hyena attack when they invaded a hut where the livestock were housed. Then the animals proceeded to kill a cow grazing in the field. Many people have lost other animals such as donkeys and cattle. The villagers have resorted to setting fire in the bush to scare them away and hopefully destroy places where they stay. Villagers said they were now afraid that the wild animals might end up targeting people.

Chief Chundu said the situation was being complicated by laws that do not allow problem animals to be shot and killed anymore. “They can only report to the village head and other responsible authorities and cannot do anything to the animal. Even if they find it, they can only scare it away,” he said. Hurungwe Rural District Council (HRDC) Officer Mr. T. Gomwe said, “This problem is not only in Nyamakate, but throughout the district. HRDC officers who receive such reports inform our conservation partners such as Bushlife and IAPF. They use a recording of a hyena that has a prey to lure the hyenas. The animals come and get trapped or even killed depending on the reported case,” said Mr Gomwe.

Elephant poaching

An elephant carcass was discovered by operators in the Nyakasanga block, outside of Mana Pools. The team was alerted by some operators in that area and went to investigate. They found a broken axe handle and evidence of a .375 rifle cartridge. Ivory was chopped off and missing from the animal. More details will follow.

Interview with BSU Driver Trust Magweregwede

TM: Trust Magweregwede
NFH: Nkululeko Freedom Hlongwane 

NFH: Tell us a little bit about yourself. 
TM: I am Trust Magweregwede, a Bushlife driver. I hold a class two driver's license. I’m also a married man with two kids, a girl and boy. Previously I worked for Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management as a ranger. Naturally, I like nature.
NFH: What kind of music do you like, and what is your favourite sport? 
TM: I like gospel music, and my favourite sport is soccer. 
NFH: How old were you when you learned how to drive?
TM: I was 25 when I started driving.
NFH: How long have you worked for Bushlife?
TM: I have been with Bushlife for 4 years. 
NFH: What is a typical dinner when you are at the base? Does it differ when you are out in the bush?
TM: A typical dinner at base is sadza and matemba. It doesn't differ in the bush. (Editor’s note: This is a traditional meal of cornmeal-based porridge and dried sardines.)
NFH: How can you tell if a river is safe enough for your cruiser to cross?
TM: A river is safe when it is dry. When the river is flowing, the water should be at a low level and clear.  If the water volume is powerful enough to carry stumps, it is not safe at all.
NFH: Tell me about your most unusual wildlife sightings.
TM: My most unusual sightings include bush pigs and cheetahs.
NFH: What is your favourite animal and why?
TM: My favourite animal is an elephant because of its unique size, the position of its tusks, glands, and trunk.
NFH: Is your totem linked to any animal? If so, which animal and how is it connected?
TM: My totem is linked to a porcupine, but I don’t see any clear connection. (Editor’s note: Totems are part of ancient Zimbabwean cultural traditions and are used to represent a group of people with a common ancestry. They can be seen as symbolic of the various animal characteristics, e.g., a lion is known for strength and fearlessness.)

Trip Report from volunteer Board Member
Charles Hanemann

I visited Vundu Camp in Mana Pools for ten days with my family in June 2023. This was my seventh trip to Zimbabwe since 1999. It was a first trip for my wife, Martica, and three-year old son, Charlie. This was my daughter’s first trip to Mana Pools. After five days, my sixteen-year old daughter, Isabelle, exclaimed, “You’re a bad parent for not raising me in Zimbabwe!” That’s what I wanted to hear.

I met Nick Murray in 2000. He guided me on a five-night backpacking trip through a remote corner of the Zambezi Valley and a three-night canoe trip down the Zambezi. Since then, we backpacked through hundreds of kilometers of the Zambezi Valley. We planned these trips through the most inaccessible areas of the Valley – far from camps and roads.

In the early days, we believed the remoteness of the Zambezi Valley guaranteed its sanctity as one of the last great wild places. That it seems for a time. We were wrong. In 2009, we encountered mass elephant poaching to the east of Mana Pools. Poachers left us a message, written in crocodile dung to “Get Out.” Nick used his radio to “make a plan” with the National Park Service that led to their arrest. We did not yet realize the gravity of the problem. There was still plenty animals. 

By 2014, the Zambezi Valley changed. Poachers adopted water hole poisoning outside Mana Pools.  Rifles weren’t enough. Formerly game rich areas fell silent. There were no animals and no spoor. Poachers killed elephants for their tusks daily in Mana Pools -- the crown jewel of the Zambezi Valley. Nick resolved to do something about it. He “made a plan”, passed the hat to clients, and started providing rudimentary equipment and transport to National Parks Rangers in the off season. He got traction. 

More clients volunteered, giving generously their time and money, and helped Nick create the Bushlife Conservancy non-profit in the US. Nick’s characteristic no-nonsense approach grew into the formidable effort we know today. He created a business model for private to public assistance that works in Zimbabwe. My friend, Nick Murray, changed the game.

I’m still worried about Mana Pools. We need more regular donors to sustain the effort. The need is great. Nick stretches Bushlife’s modest budget in the way that only he can. Politics could change in a moment. New threats peak over the horizon – gold panning, mining, settlement encroachment, bushmeat. Thanks to Bushlife, Mana Pools has a fighting chance. As long as Mana Pools survives, there is hope for the rest of the Valley.

I’m pleased to report, that Mana Pools was in beautiful condition in June. My family and I participated in five elephant darting missions. We changed Tusker and Boswell’s collars. We collared a new bull, Carlitos. We helped Columbas Chaitezvi, a Park Service veterinarian, examine a baby elephant with a bad leg after reports of similar problems with other baby elephants. We saw three baby elephants that could only walk on three legs. More work needs to be done to determine why this is happening.

I have a newfound appreciation for the importance of collaring the iconic elephant bulls of Mana Pools. Because of poaching there are few old bulls in the Zambezi Valley. Collars deter illegal poaching. Ethical sport hunters decline to shoot collared elephants that wander into regulated hunting areas, as they regularly do. Using collar data, Nick warns neighboring hunting areas when an iconic bull moves into their area. This helps avoid accidents. Collaring is a cost-effective, low-risk strategy. I pray for a future when it is no longer necessary. With your continued support, that is a realistic goal. If we can build our recurring donor base, we could expect even more than that. In my lifetime, I hope to see a black rhino in Mana Pools.

African wildlife trivia answer: When zebras are in herds, their unique stripes obscure their individual silhouettes, almost like hiding in plain sight!