Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Rangers, who were involved in a contact with poachers on the 26th of February 2012, shot and killed two poachers and wounded another. The poachers had no identification particulars on them. The bodies of the two poachers are currently at Karoi Mortuary. The Regional Manager Mr T.Gotosa received a report that four gunshots were heard in the morning of a heavy calibre at around 1900hrs at Kachowe general area.

The Area Manager and Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Rangers are tracking the wounded poacher; they were no casualties from Parks.

The following items were recovered 1x 303 rifle, 7x 303 rounds, 1 pair elephant tusk, some food stuffs and some clothes. This should send as a warning to would be poachers that Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority staff much as they are resource constrained they are more than willing and ready to put the country’s conservation efforts back on track adding that any illegal entry into Parks Estates for the purposes of poaching is lethal . Investigations are continuing.

Asked whether there were any poaching activities involving Parks Officials, this following media reports that Kruger National Park had arrested four of its employees on rhino poaching; the Authority’s Public Relations Manager Caroline Washaya-Moyo said like any other institution the authority has bad apples but will remain alive and alert to any such issues. She added that last year the authority dismissed two employees on cases of impala poaching.