‘Rhino population is under threat’

Malawi is one of the countries with some of the finest tourist attraction centres in Africa. At the centre of its tourism industry is a variety of wildlife. However, its game numbers are fast dwindling due to poaching. In view of this year’s World Wildlife Day set aside for the globe to seriously think of combating wildlife crime this week, the director for Department of National Parks and Wildlife, BRIGHT KUMCHEDWA tells us the impact of poaching on Malawi’s tourism.

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Q : How serious is the poaching problem in the country?

A : First of all, you might wish to know that there is a wave of poaching across Africa and Malawi has not been spared. Poaching in our protected areas continues to soar. However, it is currently more pronounced in Liwonde National Park.

Q : What has triggered the increase in poaching cases?

A : A number of reasons have contributed to the problem of poaching. Poverty is one of the major reasons; all our protected areas are surrounded by high human population that relies on natural resources for its livelihoods. This largely leads to what is called subsistence poaching.

The other reason is the increasing demand of high value wildlife products such as ivory and rhino horn in the Far East.  This is indeed has seen the price of ivory on the black market, for instance in Asia, going astronomically high.

Q : What types of animals or species face extinction due to poaching?

A : Currently, the rhino population in Liwonde National Park is under major threat as well as elephants in Kasungu National Park. For instance, in Kasungu National Park the population of elephants is below 100 from 2 000 in the 1980s while the national elephant population has declined from 4 000 in the 1980s to 2 000 to date.

Q : Which protected area in the country has the highest number of wild animals?

A : Liwonde National Park used to boast of the relatively high wildlife populations. However, with the current levels of poaching, it is doubtful whether the park continues to enjoy this status. The park is slowly being overtaken by Majete Wildlife Reserve which has gone through a successful restocking programme.

Q : What impact can the dwindling numbers of game in our protected areas have on the country’s tourism industry?

A : It is a fact that in Malawi wildlife, particularly the iconic species such as elephants and rhinos are the mainstay of tourism. It is given fact that should these be degraded completely, then tourism too won’t survive thus the dream of making tourism an  economic spinner for the country will be shattered.

Q : What is your department doing to deal with this situation?

A : There a number of actions the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) is implementing to arrest the situation. One of them is the formation of a robust interagency committee on combating wildlife crimes. This is a committee comprising largely government institutions such as the Judiciary, the office of the Director of Public Prosecution, Malawi Defence Forces (MDF), Malawi Police Service (MPS), Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU); Immigration Department; Forestry Department, Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), Anti-Corruption Bureau; Wildlife and Environment Society of Malawi (Wesm) and Environment Journalist Association of Malawi as a co-opted member. The main purpose is to strengthen wildlife cases and implementation of law enforcement. Already this seems to be paying some dividends as we have seen for the first in the history of Malawi, wildlife cases attracting a fine of K1 millon.

Through the understanding of the same committee, DNPW is able to engage MDF to assist with patrols and this has already been tested and has proven to be very positive. Furthermore, MDF has donated to DNPW 150 riffles to be used by rangers in anti-poaching activities.

With support from the German Government, DNPW is reviewing the wildlife legislation so that it is able to carry stern penalties that are deterrent enough to would be poachers.

To reinforce its workforce particularly in the field, DNPW got a waiver from the Department of Human of Human Resource Management and Development (DHRMD) to recruit additional 113 wildlife rangers to carry out patrols in the protected areas.

DNPW with the support from UNDP through the Poverty and Environment Initiative (PEI) Programme as administered by the Economic Planning and Development (EP&D) Department in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning is also reviewing the Wildlife Policy.

As a department, DNPW from September 2013 imposed a moratorium, effectively banning domestic trade of ivory to licensed trophy dealers. This is ivory sourced from natural mortalities of elephants or elephants that are destroyed with the intention of minimising human-elephant conflicts.

Q : Others feel the existing legal frameworks are ‘toothless’ in attempts to deter culprits from the malpractice. Do you agree?

A : Yes, l do agree, and DNPW has been advised by experts that the wildlife legislation is, in some sections, in conflict with itself. It is in view of this that the wildlife legislation is going through a review process so that it is precise and classifies wildlife crimes as serious crimes by the international standards.

Q : How is Malawi doing in its fight against poaching and illegal ivory trade in the region?

A : A lot is indeed being done as a country, as a number of arrests are now being recorded of culprits trying to externalise ivory. This shows that we have strengthened law enforcement. This has meant tightening the screws of law enforcement even at source [protected areas].