NURTURE NATURE - Seventy nine wildlife rangers graduate to save fauna and flora
Wildlife is Malawi’s God given natural resource and heritage, the need to conserve these species in our protected areas cannot be over emphasized. As they are a catalyst to grow the eco-tourism sector
KASUNGU, Malawi (Planet Defence) - Minister of Tourism Parks and Wildlife Honourable Vera Kamtukule this week presided over the pass out parade of seventy-nine Parks and Wildlife Assistants commonly referred to as rangers who went through a 10-week intensive Basic Anti-Poaching training at Lifupa camp inside Kasungu National Park.
Wildlife rangers form the basis of Department of National Parks and Wildlife core mandate which is essentially wildlife management and conservation. As such the event was a positive development towards strengthening staff capacity building.
“I am pleased that this training has inculcated in these rangers’ requisite tactical skills which, in turn, will lead to improvement in wildlife protection by deterring illegal wildlife crime,” Kamtukule said.
She added that government is promoting the ATM strategy which has placed tourism alongside agriculture and mining as key drivers of economic growth for the country.
“It is also worth noting that over 70% of Malawi’s tourism is nature based with wildlife currently contributing 2.7% to Gross Domestic Product. Therefore, recruitment and training of rangers and staff will strengthen the protection and management of wildlife in our protected areas which in turn will make a meaningful contribution to economic development through tourism sector development,” Kamtukule told the audience that attended the ceremony.
Turning to tourism sector development, the Minister said government is working tirelessly in making our wildlife tourism related products more competitive. For example, in 2022, Kasungu National Park was earmarked for restocking of key wildlife species that included elephants. Sadly, this restocking programme has also resulted in a surge of conflict between these elephants and communities said the Minister.
Kamtukule then directed that some of the rangers be deployed at Kasungu National Park to contained cases of human-wildlife conflicts. She recalled cheering families of elephant victims in Traditional Authority’s Mwase and Chulu in the district.
“We are working with our cooperating partner, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), who are sponsoring construction of 22km of the fence including recruiting fence attendants. It is my Ministry’s desire that human wildlife conflict around Kasungu National Park is completely eliminated and cordial co-existence with wildlife restored,” Kamtukule said while warning the public anyone caught vandalising the fence should be apprehended or reported to the Chief or wildlife office or Police.
She urged all Malawians of good will to jealously guard the parameter fence to keep the animals inside the park.
To the supervisors, I urge you to continue mentoring and coaching these new recruits so that they become good officers.
“Do not leave things to chance as individuals have different capabilities. Ensure that Government regulations, standard operating procedure are always adhered to in order to build a disciplined and committed field force,” said the minister.
When asked for her reaction on the development Dorothy Tembo Nhlema, Director of Programmes at Lilongwe Wildlife Trust a charity organization concerned with the welfare responded.
“This is expected to continue to improve wildlife and forestry conservation in this country. It comes at a right time when the sector is facing serious encroachment, wildlife trafficking especially pangolins, deforestation and degradation that is a major concern when it comes to disasters caused by natural calamities. We have had enough already as a result of cyclones in this country.
She added that more rangers will assist in law enforcement efforts in protected areas since there have been staff shortages in some protected areas.
Chifundo Dalireni, Policy and Advocacy Programme Lead at the Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi reacted this is a welcome development because wildlife assistants protect people from dangerous species of animals such a elephants, buffalos through problem animal control techniques.
“The newly graduated Parks and Wildlife Assistants will provide the much-needed knowledge and skills to communities around protected areas through awareness creation including training in environment friendly income generating activities such as bee-keeping,” Dalireni explained.
IFAW, Transfrontier Conservation Area Project, Shire Valley Transformation Program; Malawi Watershed Services Improvement Program and Illovo provided financial and technical support for training these rangers.
The event spice by the Malawi Prison Band was attended by top government officials that included the Commissioner of Police Central East, African Parks Country Representative, District Commissioner, Parliamentary Committee on Tourism chairperson, Council chairperson, two Parliamentarians, Illovo staff, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Shire Valley Transformation and Malawi Watershed Services Improvement Project Managers and Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area manager.
*Photos - Courtesy of Department of National Parks and Wildlife and Dorothy Tembo Nhlema