The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) is intensifying community-level intelligence systems to tackle poaching before it happens, especially in high-risk areas bordering protected wildlife zones. ZimParks Acting Public Relations Manager, Tamirirashe Mudzingwa, said the authority has adopted a multi-layered prevention strategy that places communities at the centre of wildlife protection. āWe are strengthening community collaboration because local people are our first line of defence,ā Mudzingwa said.
āRegular feedback meetings allow us to build transparency and trust, and they help us gather information that can stop poaching before it even takes place.ā Mudzingwa said ZimParks is rolling out extensive education campaigns to shift community attitudes towards conservation. āWe continue to raise awareness on the benefits of wildlife conservation compared to the destructive impact of poaching,ā he said. āThese programmes target schools, youth groups and community centres so that knowledge is passed across generations.ā In addition, he said that the authority has strengthened rapid response mechanisms, including the Zambezi Valley Reaction Unit (ZAVARU), which conducts both terrestrial and aquatic patrols.
āIn some districts, anti-poaching scouts are being enrolled at the Zimbabwe Institute of Wildlife Conservation to undergo basic paramilitary and intelligence-gathering training,ā Mudzingwa added. āThis equips them with skills to detect early signs of illegal activity.ā Mudzingwa said ZimParks is increasingly integrating drones, GPS tracking and real-time surveillance systems to improve monitoring.
