FIVE South African hikers raised $5 000 for the Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit after completing a 100km sponsored walk from the resort town to Msuna near Hwange last week.
RICHARD MUPONDE SENIOR COURT REPORTER
Africa Albida Tourism on Tuesday said the five hikers Leon Varley, Sara Norton, Megan Hacker, Mike Gunn and Africa Albida Tourism’s photographer Lesanne Dunlop, set off on a 100km journey from Victoria Falls to Msuna on June 5 to raise money and awareness for Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit.
“Africa Albida Tourism congratulated the participants for conquering the challenging feat. This brave team managed to raise over $5 000 for Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit. Hopefully this will become an even bigger event next year,” the organisation said in a statement.
The Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit was established in 1999 by Charles Brightman, a professional guide, local safari operator and conservationist together with the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.
It has worked in close co-operation with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks) and the police to beef up anti-poaching efforts.
They patrol a 50km² area around Victoria Falls with 18 full time scouts to combat all forms of poaching.
The anti-poaching unit’s activities are largely directed at the removal of snares and apprehending subsistence and commercial poachers, but a great deal of time is spent educating and reinforcing the benefits of conserving the area’s natural resources.
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The organisation’s work has been recognised by the Zimbabwe Council for Tourism and has been a four-time recipient of the Green Globe 21 Award for Conservation Efforts in Zimbabwe.
Brightman has been personally recognised as a finalist in the safari awards category for best personal contribution to wildlife conservation.
Since its inception in 1999, the Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit in conjunction with Zimparks has removed over 22 000 snares laid by poachers.
It has also arrested more than 600 poachers in and around the Victoria Falls National Park.
