News / National
Zimbabwe to export excess wild animals to Angola
12 May 2015 at 06:41hrs | Views
Government, through the Ministry of Environment is set to sell countless of excess wild animals to the Angolan National Conservation Park in a deal estimated to be worth millions of dollars.
Elephants, buffaloes, lions and antelopes, among other animals would soon be shipped to Angola, reports indicate.
The deal is expected to be signed in July in Angola, NewsDay reported.
"The deal is being worked on between the Ministry of Environment and the Angolan National Conservation Park for the latter to buy the excess wild animals in Zimbabwe," the publication said quoting an unmanned source.
The source said the multi-million dollar deal would help Zimbabwe to generate additional revenue to cater for the growing wildlife population and recruit more wardens.
Last year, Government came under international attack for selling 62 baby elephants, including the 36 to the United Arab Emirates, France and China.
The elephants were sold for up to $60,000 each, which would help fund running costs at Hwange.
Defending the plan, tourism minister Walter Mzembi said the sale would be beneficial because it would help the country address an "over-population" of elephants.
"Our habitat is not designed to carry too many elephants that are in its environment. We have an over-population of elephants," he said.
Last week, Bulawayo24 reported that Minister of environment, water and climate Saviour kasukuwere saying the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management is saddled in a $12.500 million debt.
The debt is crippling functions of the organisation.
Elephants, buffaloes, lions and antelopes, among other animals would soon be shipped to Angola, reports indicate.
The deal is expected to be signed in July in Angola, NewsDay reported.
"The deal is being worked on between the Ministry of Environment and the Angolan National Conservation Park for the latter to buy the excess wild animals in Zimbabwe," the publication said quoting an unmanned source.
The source said the multi-million dollar deal would help Zimbabwe to generate additional revenue to cater for the growing wildlife population and recruit more wardens.
The elephants were sold for up to $60,000 each, which would help fund running costs at Hwange.
Defending the plan, tourism minister Walter Mzembi said the sale would be beneficial because it would help the country address an "over-population" of elephants.
"Our habitat is not designed to carry too many elephants that are in its environment. We have an over-population of elephants," he said.
Last week, Bulawayo24 reported that Minister of environment, water and climate Saviour kasukuwere saying the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management is saddled in a $12.500 million debt.
The debt is crippling functions of the organisation.
Source - Byo24News
