We welcome reports that three of the suspected eight poachers who were arrested for poisoning water ponds in Hwange National Park with cyanide resulting in the death of about 80 elephants have been convicted and jailed for between 15 and 16 years each.
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The trio was also ordered to restitute the State $800 000 for the wildlife losses. We believe the sentence sends the correct signal to those who might contemplate carrying out such cruel acts as killing elephants by poisoning their water sources creating an ecological disaster in the process.
With an estimated 80 000 jumbos, Zimbabwe boasts of having one of the largest elephant populations in the world, an aspect that makes it a favourable tourist destination.
Hwange National Park, where the poachers struck, is home to about 40 000 elephants and its proximity to the mighty Victoria Falls — which is one of the seven wonders of the natural world – makes it ideal as a tourism site and a crucial earner of the much-needed government revenue.
These poachers are not only an environmental menace, but should also be classified as economic saboteurs who should be given life sentences for their selfish acts of greed.
They kill the elephants for their ivory which is used for various purposes, including as an aphrodisiac in the Far East.
What is equally disturbing are reports from South Africa that proceeds from the illegal trade of ivory are used to finance terrorist groups like al-Shabaab which was responsible for the deadly attacks at the up-market Westgate shopping mall in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, last weekend.
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As Zimbabweans, we should also support efforts to stem such nefarious activities as the poisoning of the water bodies at the Hwange National Park.
Blaming the ecological disaster prompted by poaching activities on the “illegal sanctions” on Zimbabwe is an act of self- delusion which will take us nowhere as a nation.
In fact, we should all be rallying behind Environment minister Saviour Kasukuwere in the war against these poachers.
This is not the time to score cheap political points or find scapegoats, but an occasion to unite all of us — media, environmental support groups and the corporate world — to fight the scourge in the same manner that we have all collectively been able to fight the spread of HIV and Aids.
It is, however, pertinent to also point out that there is need to reduce some of the population of the elephants in a proper, planned and professional way so as to generate income to protect the elephants and other wildlife resources from poachers.
We, therefore, urge the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species to review the situation with regard to the Zimbabwean elephants, when our moratorium ends in four years time.
Most importantly, let us all be vigilant and co-operate in the war against poachers.
