Supporting Injured Wildlife

WPO’s stationed at Malilansolo reported sighting a young elephant with a suspected snare wound in the vicinity of their camp. With permission from the Ranger Operations Ian & Lea responded and the elephant was successfully immobilized. The wound was an old injury of unknown causes so sadly there was not a lot that could be done for the young male other than cleaning it up and administering some long acting antibiotics.

On request of ZAWA’s Regional Manager Mr Naisson Tembo Ian & Lea traveled to Chete Island to offer their assistance with snare removal on two elephants – although both elephants and one other with snares were sited the vegetation did not provide any suitable darting opportunities and Ian & Lea did not have the time to stay longer. Hopefully there will be another opportunity to assist at a later stage.

During July and August reports were received from numerous guides of a snared elephant in the vicinity of Chifingulu Channel within LZNP but it was not until the 9th September when Sausage Tree Camp sited the young male that they were able to stay with it until Lea arrived. With permission from the Area Warden and accompanied by WPO’s Alec Chapingeza and Amos Mafumba and assisted by the management, guides, staff and guests of Sausage Tree Camp the elephant was successfully immobilized and the snare removed. Now bearing the name September he has been sighted on several occasions and appears to be recovering well.

Supporting Research

African Wild Dog Conservation (AWDC)

CLZ assisted Kellie Leigh of AWDC with one night of her predator survey that extended from Zambezia Wildlife Sanctuary in the Chiawa GMA through to Nkalangi Plain on the western side of the National Park. Ian has also helped out on a number of occasions when Kellie has had difficulty locating the GMA pack of dogs by flying Kellie for aerial tracking.

Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF) Large Mammal Aerial Survey 14th – 22nd September

CLZ was approached by AWF in early September to assist them with wings to fly the block counts of the Large Mammal Aerial Survey they and ZAWA had planned for the escarpment area under the AWF Lower Zambezi Heartlands Project. CLZ would like to thank Kanyemba Lodge and Kulefu Tented Camp for accommodating the survey team at very reduced rates and very short notice. Due to poor flying conditions the survey which is the first of it’s kind known to be conducted in the area took slightly longer than expected but a total number of 23 hours were flown and CLZ discovered that the Lower Zambezi still has a healthy population of sable existing in the escarpment along with a surprise of several reedbuck. Ian’s brother Andrew during the course of his project has compiled the information recorded by ZAWA in a document that will hopefully provide a starting block for future surveys of the kind that will assist with monitoring and managing the wildlife of the area.

GIS & Database for Lower Zambezi

Ian’s brother Andrew Stevenson and family arrived in mid August for 3 months as volunteers to establish a GIS and Database for CLZ and ZAWA in the Lower Zambezi. This database should provide CLZ with a vital tool to record and measure the organisation’s effectiveness and offer ZAWA comparable data that may be utilized for improving effectiveness of patrol teams and management of the Lower Zambezi Area Management Unit. CLZ would like to thank ZAWA for their support with this initiative.

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

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