Dear Members

Firstly CLZ would like to offer a warm welcome to our newest corporate member Star of Africa who have recently bought the lease off Kiambi safaris for Kulefu Tented Camp in the National Park.

Many of you may be under the impression that CLZ has disappeared off the face of the Lower Zambezi however contrary to popular belief we are making more of an impression than ever before and with thanks to the Royal Danish Embassy are half way through the construction of CLZ’s new Operations Base, Training camp and Environmental Education Centre.

Recent Contributions

Humba Bush Foundation

Financial support from Humba Bush Foundation enabled CLZ to purchase and distribute much needed Patrol Kits to 72 ZAWA officers in all sectors of Lower Zambezi Area Management Unit (LZAMU) that operate in the LZNP and Chiawa and Rufunsa GMA’s. All old patrol kits were recalled and once repaired were returned to the Area Warden to distribute among the LZAMU sectors that are outside the reach of CLZ’s limited resources. Each patrol kit included a backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, portable 1 man tent with mosquito net inner, mess pans, water bottle, handcuffs, metal cup, spoon, fork and knife kit, and a raincoat/poncho.

Afrikeye

CLZ are very grateful to Afrikeye for USD 10,000 the organization has donated toward 2003 Operations. We look forward to having Alex Barrett out in Zambia for a 3-day visit to CLZ’s Operations Base during the month of July.

CLZ Conservation & Education Levy

CLZ’s C & E Levy experienced a slow start in 2003 with the exception of Chiawa Camp and Chongwe River Camp who have been doing their best to raise CLZ’s profile among both their national and international guests and in so doing have so far raised USD 2,264 and ZMK1,492,750 for CLZ during 2003.

ZAWA Support

Welcome back to Operations Ranger Stephen Malongo who returned to the Lower Zambezi Area Management Unit in June 2003. Stephen successfully completed a one-year Wildlife Management course in Moshi, Tanzania that now gives him the necessary qualifications to become a Warden in the future.

With the arrival of CLZ’s new Aluminum boat from Botswana the organization was able to donate the old green banana boat to ZAWA. The boat will be based at the Luangwa Sector east of the National Park in the Rufunsa GMA to assist with deployments and pick-ups of Luangwa patrol teams.

During March, patrol team Lion II led by Kennedy Phiri escorted a team of poachers out from the Lower Zambezi National Park recovering items of clothing and camping equipment. Sadly during the same 15-day patrol Lion II were required to put down an elephant that was found in the National Park suffering badly from multiple gunshot wounds to the neck and belly. The elephant was in very poor condition with his intestines extruding through severe gut wounds. It is not known where the elephant was when it was attacked but it died on Nkalangi Island within the Lower Zambezi National Park.

Rapid Response Team from Jordon led by Justin Chomba apprehended 2 suspects and recovered 2 muzzle loading weapons and impala meat when responding to a reports of gunshots from Tony Fouche the manager of Shafumbe .

Rhino III led by Wiggin Sineza had a successful patrol in late March when the team encountered a group of poachers en-route to Musika and recovered gunpowder and balls for a muzzle-loading rifle along with camping equipment.

In April, CLZ assisted ZAWA with camping equipment and radios for communications when ZAWA opened the Chongwe Gate just in time for the Easter Holidays. Patrol Team Rhino II from Luangwa Boma en-route to Musika sadly discovered the carcasses of two elephants but fortunately came across the poachers and managed to confiscate two tusks.

Later, in May, the Rapid Response Team from Jordon, led by 2002 WPO Officer of the year Godfrey Banda, performed exceptionally well on their patrol. The team began with a clean-up operation in the Mulalika Area apprehending six suspects and recovering eight weapons including 1 x AK47, 3 x muzzle-loaders and 4 x home made shotguns. Once dockets had been opened in Chilanga the team proceeded on foot down through the escarpment apprehending another two poachers heading towards the LZNP and confiscated 1 x muzzle-loader and bush pig meat. During the course of their patrol the team were given information from the poachers that were apprehended and instead of pulling out at the end of their 15-day patrol they asked CLZ to take them back to Mulalika to follow up on their information. CLZ were more than willing to support this initiative and in following up the information the Rapid Response Team arrested yet another 2 suspects and recovered four more weapons including; 2 x homemade shotguns, a Greener shotgun and a muzzle-loading rifle. As far as CLZ is aware this has been the most successful individual patrol by any team in the Lower Zambezi for the past 3 years. Congratulations to Godfrey Banda and his men for a job well done!

SWPO Maziya Banda based at Malilansolo received information that a group of women in the nearby village were waiting for a team of illegal fishermen to withdraw from the National Park so that they could transport their catch to the markets of Lusaka. Mr Banda passed this information on to CLZ and requested that Ian Stevenson fly an aerial patrol over the Zambezi to look for the alleged fishermen. The aerial patrol was successful and located the fishermen on Nkalangi Island within the boundary of LZNP. Once on the ground Ian accompanied by two WPO’s John Yavuka and Stephen Mwanja responded and with assistance from staff of Chiawa Camp apprehended six fishermen and confiscated three canoes, nets and fish. CLZ then transported the suspects out to the Military Police at the Kafue Pontoon where the suspects were held until dockets could be opened with the police at Chirundu.

Whilst on a routine patrol over the valley, in June, Ian Stevenson and WPO Evans Chibale spotted illegal fishermen close to Msaku Mbezi in the Chiawa GMA. CLZ’s boat was able to respond with a ZAWA Patrol Team and apprehended four illegal fishermen that were handed over to the Chiawa Community Resource Board (CRB).

Over the last 4 months CLZ have supported 1779 patrol man-days (March 595, April 400, May 446 June 338).

The CLZ Ndeke has flown 30.2 hours over the past four months monitoring wildlife and providing vital support to Patrol Teams in the Field. The drop in hours has been noted. Part of the reason for this decline is due to the Ndeke spending 2 weeks in Harare for servicing but the main reason is due to ZAWA’s request that the pilot must now be accompanied by a Wildlife Police Officer when patrolling over the National Park. Although a reasonable request it has proven to be difficult to fulfil in practice.

Community and Safari Operator Support

CLZ has assisted Chiawa Community Conservation Campsite with transport for building materials that have been funded by WWF for the development of ablution blocks at the Community Campsite in the Chiawa GMA.

In early June the Lower Zambezi and the people of the Chiawa Community suffered the loss of Ms Mary Chola the headmistress of Chiawa Primary School. Mary devoted a number of years to the Chiawa Community and initiated construction of the first Secondary School in the area. Mary was a close friend of HRH Chieftainess and a loyal supporter of CLZ and will be sadly missed by all who knew her.

Once again in mid-March thieves targeted CLZ’s Radio Repeater Systems removing 3 solar panels that resulted in both the CLZ and ZAWA Communication Systems being disabled. CLZ employee and Honorary Wildlife Police Officer Lovemore Katebe accompanied by ZAWA officers and Police officers from Chirundu spent many days and nights sifting through information and combing the villages on the northern boundary of the Chiawa GMA and the markets of Lusaka. Eventually their persistence paid off when they caught up with the thieves who are now behind bars in Lusaka for the next 2 years.

CLZ again would like to thank Riccardo Garbaccio, Rolf of Precision Communications, and visitors to CLZ; Ulrik Djupdraet, Logan Bragg and Nicky Edwards who, accompanied by a ZAWA WPO and a team of porters, all volunteered their time to assist with the expedition to the top of Chilapila on Tuesday 29th April to reinstate both systems.

A reminder to all CLZ Corporate Members: With the increasing number of corporate members CLZ are now insisting that all camps must ensure that their principle communications systems between base, second camps and mobile units are on their own private simplex frequencies or by HF Radio and that all camps have alternative means of communication between their base camps and head offices. This is not only an energy saving practice for CLZ, it is also imperative for the safety of your guests and staff. CLZ repeater system is for emergencies and long-range communications, it is not for the day-to-day running of your safari operation. Thank you for your cooperation.
 

Wildlife Support and Scientific Research

Snared Lion

On 11th April, Lower Zambezi Safari Guide Boaz Chizuwa whilst on a game drive with guests from Chiawa Camp discovered a snared lion on Nkalangi Plain. Boaz and his quests kindly stayed with the lion until Ian Stevenson and Lea Edwards could arrive.

With permission from ZAWA, the support of WPO Lloyd Kamuchele and assistance from the staff and guests of Chiawa Camp, the lion was immobilized and the snare removed. CLZ would like to thank Suzanne & Caroline Bayley, guests of Chiawa Camp, for their donation to cover the cost of the immobilization drugs.

Wounded Elephants

On 28th June Tony Fouche the manager from Shafumbe reported a large bull elephant with a gunshot wound on Zambezi Wildlife Sanctuary in the Chiawa GMA. Normally CLZ only receive permission from ZAWA for snare removal however, under the circumstances, they were willing to allow CLZ to bring in a vet to perform surgery on the elephant.

Dr Sally Sheil kindly offered her time and equipment, as she has on several occasions to assist the wildlife of the Lower Zambezi and flew up from Lusaka. Tony managed to locate the suffering elephant the following morning and with support from ZAWA WPO’s Amos Mafumba and Alec Chapingeza and assistance from the staff of Kiubo, Kanyemba, Shafumbe and Mtondo the elephant was successfully immobilized and underwent one hour of surgery to clean out a suspected gunshot wound on his left front leg. The elephant has been sighted on a number of occasions since and although his leg is still quite swollen he appears to be doing OK.

African Wild Dog Conservation (AWDC)

Just prior to Kellie Leigh’s return from Australia Ian & Lea were radio-tracking the GMA pack of wild dogs over Zambezia Wildlife Sanctuary when instead of the usual healthy response they received a mortality signal. Upon further investigation the remains of the wild dog were found in a Mopane thicket just north of the main road with solid evidence that the dogs death was caused from a wire snare.

Operations Base and Environmental Education Project

Construction of CLZ’s new Operations Base, Training Camp and Environmental Education Centre is now back on track after delays caused by heavy rains that soaked the Lower Zambezi Valley in late March.

With CLZ’s current Operations Base already running at maximum capacity the Royal Danish Embassy recognized the need for a permanent foreman to supervise the Construction Crew and the project has since employed the services of George Muliya, a Zambian contractor. Since then the team has been working long days and as a result have completed the workshop, assistant managers room, laundry, fuel store, staff quarters and kitchen. There is still a long way to go but it is planned that construction will be completed before the rains arrive.

CLZ has accumulated a wide range of environmental education materials from similar EEP’s both in and out of Africa over the past 12 months. It is planned that an educator will be employed in the near future to finalize CLZ’s educational materials and for further training prior to the launch of the project in early 2004. CLZ would like to thank Matto Barfuss from Germany for donating 1000 copies of his EEP Booklet, to be distributed throughout the communities surrounding Lower Zambezi National Park. We look forward to a visit from Matto in September this year when he is expected to visit the Lower Zambezi.

© Afrikeye 1999 - 2007 (certain items under permission of original copyright owner)

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