Help mitigate Human Wildlife Conflict in Zimbabwe

There has not been a lot of new activity during the period covered by this report due to logistical problems.  However the mitigation measure we have so far put in place continue to help the communities surrounding Chizarira National Park.

The mobile livestock holding pens that we have deployed in various villages continue to be very successful in deterring spotted hyaena and lions from attacking cattle and goats kept in this facility.  Where these structures are not in place, villages continue to suffer from livestock deaths by predators coming from the Park.

The holding pens are made of opaque plastic that wildlife cannot see through.  The plastic sheeting is strung between poles and the livestock contained within.  To date no attacks against livestock have taken place where villagers are supplied with the mobile pens.

We have managed to purchase another mobile pen and the deployment of this in a village chosen by the Chief has been delayed due to transport limitations.

We are able to keep human-wildlife conflict to a minimum through other work we are doing namely collaring lions and elephants.  Whilst these projects are looking at various research and monitoring aspects, we are able to pre-warn villagers of elephants or lions approaching their villages (by monitoring the GPS locations given by the collars) thus giving the villagers time to put in place traditional mitigation measures such as fires around holding pens and crops, banging pots and drums, having dogs nearby etc.

In the next period before our next report, we hope to have at least two more villages set up with the mobile pens.