Staff Reporter
Birdlife Zimbabwe recently trained representatives from various government agencies on the conservation of birds, especially endangered vultures in a bid to raise awareness on the importance of the scavengers on the ecosystem.
A number of vulture specie has been facing endangerment from illegal activities like belief-based use, habitat destruction and poaching, with some now facing extinction.
Representatives from Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA), Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and rural district councils were trained at Flamboyant Hotel, Masvingo on their roles in protecting vultures.
Birdlife Zimbabwe Preventing Extinctions Programmes Officer Leeroy Moyo said the protection of vultures was no longer just the work of wildlife conservationists, but now required all hands on deck to prevent the scavengers from going into extinction, which will pose ecological and biodiversity problems.
“Vultures play a critical role in ecological balance and biodiversity, which helps maintain ecosystem stability. They help clean up carcasses, reducing the spread of diseases and preventing the accumulation of rotting organic matter. This process is essential for maintaining the health and balance of ecosystems,” Moyo said.
Moyo said training government agencies on vulture conservation was essential for developing and implementing comprehensive conservation strategies that address the various threats vultures face.
“Training enables government agencies to work more effectively with other stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations, researchers and local communities.
“As new information and technologies become available, trained governmental personnel can adapt their conservation approaches accordingly. They can then stay updated on latest research findings, techniques and best practices, aligning their efforts to most current and effective methods,” he added.
Speaking during the training, animal rights lawyer Advocate Nancy Makuvise spoke on the various ways to enforce conservation laws that protect vultures from illegal activities.
“Animals have rights, and likewise, vultures ought to be protected. There are many legal ways to enforce laws that protect vultures from being killed, which will in turn deter offenders.
“Laws that protect these endangered birds need to be implemented effectively, and governmental agencies like the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) need to know that offenders can be held accountable through deterrent legal penalties,” Makuvise said.
Research has shown that there has been increase in the use of vulture parts for belief-based activities, which has prompted rapid decline in vulture population.
In one of Birdlife Zimbabwe workshops with traditional and faith healers in Masvingo last year, it emerged that in some parts of the country, vulture parts were being used for medicinal purposes as they are believed to have mystical powers.
