By Johnson Siamachira and Rutendo Mapfumo
Hwange (New Ziana) – Village vigilantes in Mabale area in Hwange district in north-western Zimbabwe, are slowly curbing poaching of the painted African wild dog here, to the benefit of wildlife conservation and community development in this vast biodiversity-rich remote area.
Since its establishment in 2014, the Mabale Community Anti-poaching Unit has far outpaced similar anti-poaching efforts by other wildlife conservation agencies.
“The anti-poaching unit’s efforts to rein in poachers have been successful because of cooperation among the communities and strong partnership with wildlife conservation authorities,” says Peter Blinston, executive director of Painted Dog Conservation (PDC), a local conservation non-governmental organization focused on protecting the endangered painted African wild dog from extinction.
“In the process, we have expanded our anti-poaching unit and established a vibrant community outreach campaign.” he said.
Ronnie Sibanda, PDC marketing and communications manager, says voluntary conservation groups like these, which are community-based, could answer the Government’s call for stakeholders in the wildlife sector to take responsibility in reducing wildlife poaching and trafficking.
Known by many names, the African wild dog is also known as Cape hunting dog or painted dog. Its scientific name, Lycaon pictus, means “painted wolf” “referring to the dog’s irregular, mottled coat, which features patches of red, black, brown, white, and yellow fur.
Painted dogs are actually not dogs at all, but represent an evolutionary line of their own that is unique to the African continent.
At the turn of the 20th century, Africa had 500,000 painted dogs in 39 countries. However, relentless hunting by settlers, poachers’ snares, road kills and poor land management resulting in reduced suitable habitat, have decimated the wild dog population.
At the most, an estimated 7 000 African wild dogs are thought to remain in the wild today and may be disappearing fast. It’s not just poaching; people sometimes poison wild dogs to protect their domestic animals from falling prey as well as their families.
Painted dogs have a unique tourism economic value. Funds raised through tourism are ploughed back to conservation areas and help in community development.
Wild dogs roam open plains and sparse woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN -The World Conservation Union) in 2012 listed the African wild dog as Endangered under its List of Threatened Species.
In Zimbabwe, there are approximately 600 painted dogs with viable populations in Hwange, Mid-Zambezi Valley and South-East Lowveld.
According to the 2022 PDC annual report, there are about 194 painted dogs in Hwange, and approximately 146 in the Mid-Zambezi Valley. Hwange is Zimbabwe’s largest national park and is in the Kavango-Zambezi Transboundary Conservation Area.
Janet Ngwenya, a member of the Mabale Community Anti-poaching Unit recalls how she lost her only cow to snares which were set up by poachers in the peripheries of Hwange National Park.
“The huge wires set up by poachers trapped my only cow to death. My cow had gone missing for days. I had invested all my savings and bought the cow for USD500.00.
But this was all in vain. I was really hurt. This is why I had to join the anti-poaching unit to protect my future investments and that of my fellow community members,” she explains.
Ngwenya is among the Hwange women who have broken gender barriers and stereotypes and joined the traditionally male-dominated anti-poaching unit with training and technical support from PDC.
The community volunteer group was formed following the death of a painted dog in the Mabale community back yard. It was formed to support the PDC anti-poaching efforts by patrolling the community area, in recognition of the programmes being undertaken by the organization.
Some conservationists argue for a long-term effort to reconcile farmers and wild dogs. Sibanda maintains that “protecting the wild dog is protecting people. If you can save the forest or other habitats of the wild dog, you are conserving water supplies, fuel and resources for people.”
Sibanda presses on: “For conservation measures to succeed, communities must be at the centre of development activities and be engaged in decision-making processes.”
Poachers target wild animals, such as big game in the park and its peripheries. Despite efforts by Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management rangers to clamp down poaching and other wildlife crimes, poaching has negatively impacted on this Hwange community’s livelihood. Wildlife authorities have been accused of turning a blind eye to the Hwange rural community’s conflict with the wild dogs.
Three community anti-poaching units have been established in Mabale, Dopota and Nabushome in Chief Nelukoba’s area, bordering Hwange National Park where the communities are in constant exposure to wildlife conflicts.
These units whose membership is dominated by women, are seeking a symbiosis between them and their ancient enemy, the painted African wild dog. The units are organizing themselves into a force of wardens, with uniforms and powers to impound equipment and catches.
Before, it was disheartening to find that villagers had no say in wildlife management. As a result, many of the people did not understand why the wild dogs had to be protected.
Mabale community’s heavy emphasis on wildlife conservation has generated positive feedback from surrounding villages.
“To make conservation work, you have to have the acceptance and participation of the local people,” said Blinston.
The primary role of the anti-poaching teams is to search for and remove wire snares from the bush. In Mabale, there are 45 volunteer women rangers, 41 in Dopota and 38 in Nabushome. Each group has removed more than 5,000 wire snares. In 2022, the Dopota Group removed 5,489 snares.
PDC is also engaging children and adults on environmental education to conserve the painted wild dog. More than 11,000 children have attended the environmental conservation campaigns.
Promoting the livelihoods of local communities in trans frontier conservation areas is key to the sustainability of such protected areas.
“It isn’t simple, but I’ve a passion for wildlife,” says Ngwenya, who was born and bred in Dete Village, a small settlement near Hwange National Park.
“I grew up among wild animals and conservation is my passion,” she says, adding: “Anti-poaching operations are no longer a men’s preserve, women can do it, too. Even with much precision.”
Her dream is to teach other people to conserve the painted African wild dog. “I have learnt and gained experience of the value of conserving the precious species and so it is my duty to ensure that I pass this knowledge on to others. This way, painted African wild dogs can be saved from the brink of extinction,” she adds.
Another woman, Sibongile Nkala, is chairperson of Nabushome Unit. She said the initiative has protected villagers’ livestock from wire snares.
Said Nkala: “We had lost cattle and goats, our livelihoods. This is why we felt we needed to take urgent action to remove the snares. This was meant to protect the painted wild dog but has helped reduce trapping of domestic animals, too.
“Small game is also protected and we now see impalas, bucks and hares in our area, which is a plus for conservation.”
“When we talk about empowering rural communities, it’s not just about conservation,” said Blinston. “It’s also about developing local skills and institutions to manage wildlife.”
Without community participation, it would be difficult to make progress in conservation, PDC says.
“Painted dogs are better tolerated today than they were 20 years ago. Communities now understand that they can co-exist with wildlife.” Sibanda stresses.
A pessimistic projection indicates that without these conservation efforts, the species could be extinct in the next few decades.
Above all, this is a matter of social and environmental justice. People living on the fringes of protected areas must be allowed to defend their rights, just like anyone else.
New Ziana
