By CLEVER ZULU and BRIAN HATYOKA –
THE Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) has arrested five suspects for various wildlife crimes and illegal possession of wildlife products.
Philip Nyirongo, 52, of Mzama Village in Lundazi and Winford Mwale of Chindondo Village were yesterday arrested and jointly charged for trespassing in Lukusuzi National Park in Eastern Province and being in possession of assorted game meat and skins, as well as more than 100 grammes of gunpowder and 59 Pellets.
The duo was also found in possession of fish poison.
In another incident, Stone Muhongo, 39, Maybin Singoyi, 40 and Magoti Sakoshi, of unknown age, all residents of Kamaila area in Chisamba were arrested after being found with 146 Kilogrammes of fresh Zebra meat, two live Parrots and six wire snares.
The Zebra is suspected to have been poached at Protea Hotel in Chisamba. According to a statement released in Lusaka yesterday by ZAWA communications and public relations officer Readith Muliyunda, the suspects will appear in court soon.
Meanwhile, ZAWA in Livingstone has taken back to Mosi-oa-tunya National Park a stray elephant which disrupted normal activities of elephants rides at Mukuni Big Five Safaris.
Mukuni Big Five Safaris, an entity which houses tamed animals namely elephants as well as cheetahs and lions, is located in Livingstone within an area where an active elephant corridor exists.
The area is adjacent to Mosi-oa-tunya National Park and elephants usually cross from Zimbabwe through the Zambezi River.
ZAWA senior wildlife warden for Southern Province Lusizi Mwale said the authority managed to capture the elephant last week and took it back to Mosi-oa-tunya National Park after receiving complaints that the animal was disrupting the normal elephant walks at Mukuni Big Five.
Speaking in Livingstone yesterday, Ms Mwale assured tourists and other visitors in the tourist capital that Mukuni Big Five Safaris was safe for them to conduct walks with tamed elephants.
“A complaint was received from the proprietors of Mukuni Big Five Safaris that they were unable to conduct their regular activities of elephant walks because a sub adult male bull elephant had moved into the area and was threatening workers at the site.
“The elephant was darted and ferried on a truck into the fenced off area of Mosi-oa-tunya National Park where it was revived and let loose,” Ms Mwale said.
