Mozambique announces operation against poachers

(philstar.com) Updated May 13, 2011 04:07 PM Comments (0)

MAPUTO, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Authorities of the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique announced an operation to tack down poachers of wild animals at the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP) region.

The GLTP is one of the most important reserves in the world and a joint initiative between the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, Kruger Park from South Africa and Gonarezhou from Zimbabwe, the Mozambican News Agency (AIM) reported on Thursday.

The coordinator for Limpopo National Park PNL (Portuguese acronym), Zinio Macamero, said the operation is to eliminate poachers of rhinos and elephants given their commercial value.

Macamero said the park authorities are in the process of increasing the number of wild animals in the reserve this is why combating poachers will help in this purpose.

The PNL will have support from the Mozambican Armed forces, border guards and supervisors from a private ecotourism exploration company lecoturismo LTD-Balule game located between the district of Massingir in the southern province of Xai-Xai and the Kruger Park that will supervise the area and others being targeted by poachers.

The PNL will organize trainings for the park supervisors who up to now were trained to fight against small level of poachers and not unions.

"We are currently investigating two suspects arrested last month one inside the park and the other along the park in possession of shotguns, axes and machetes material used when they are poaching. We are working hard to end this bad practice affecting our wildlife" Macamero said.

The park authorities will also count on the community collaboration and other security forces. The union of poachers was identified in South Africa and told to be moving to Mozambique and Zimbabwe.