Parks and Wildlife Management authority is strongly warning poachers and would be poachers that the authority has taken a zero tolerance towards poaching stressing that anyone who dare crosses into parks territory for the purposes of poaching should be warned that the consequences are lethal. This follows two armed poachers who were shot and killed on the 5^th of March 2011 in Chizarira.  

 

Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Public Relations Manager, Caroline Washaya-Moyo confirmed the incident saying two shots were heard about 8kilometres to the eastern side of the gate around 1600hrs on the 15^th of March 2011.Two bodies 3x303 rifles,76x303 rounds of ammunition, one pair elephant tusks and some fresh elephant meat were discovered. Only one elephant has been confirmed to have been poached and the authority is still racking the area. The bodies of the poachers who had no form of identification but are suspected to have come from the Simuchembo are in Gokwe, were sent to Binga police and are currently at Binga Hospital mortuary.  

 

Meanwhile on March 29 2011 a call sign on patrol in Chitake Spring, Manapools, heard 2 gun shots, they moved in the direction of the shots. Along the way they heard the sound of chopping axes and upon further scrutiny they located 3 poachers chopping off elephant tusks from a freshly killed elephant carcass. A contact ensued and one poacher was shot dead. The other two escaped and the authority recovered 2x303 rifles, one axe and a knife. 

 

The body of the deceased was taken to Karoi Hospital mortuary on 30 March 2011.It is further suspected that the poachers are local.