Isdore Guvamombe recently in Gonarezhou, Chiredzi
GERMANY-BASED Frankfurt Zoological Society has invested US$13 million in conservation work in Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe's gateway to the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.

The investment comes in the wake of a general decline in conservation work due to funding constraints brought about by sanctions and the activities of internationally organised poaching syndicates that have threatened biodiversity in one of the world's largest wildlife sanctuaries over the years.
The non-governmental organisation has defied sanctions imposed by its country under the European Union and signed a 10-year deal with National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, under a project called Gonarezhou Conservation Project.

The society has so far bought and handed over to national parks a Cessna 185 aircraft worth US$100 000, a Bell Grader for US$260 000, Bell Backhoe for US$90 000 and a Mercedes-Benz truck for US$90 000.

It also bought four Toyota Landcruisers for US$140 000, two tractors worth US$60 000 and fuel storage tank for US$17 500, two trailers, firefighting equipment, two water bowsers and two land mowers.
In addition, the NGO provided radio communication equipment (handset and vehicle radios, batteries, radio masts, etc, for more than US$40 000.

The society has also renovated staff houses, vehicle workshop and offices at the national park for an amount in excess of US$150 000 and bought and repaired water pumps at a cost of US$8 000.
Environment and Natural Resources Minister Francis Nhema received the equipment on behalf of national parks last week and said unlike other organisations the Frankfurt Zoological Society has proved apolitical and strictly geared towards conservation.
"The Frankfurt Zoological Society has been providing financial and technical support in the management and conservation of wildlife resources in the Gonare-zhou National Park since 2007.

"The Gonarezhou Conservation Project is a 10-year partnership between the Government of Zimbabwe represented by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Frankfurt Zoological Society. It is for this reason that a project such as the Gonarezhou Conservation Project, which is a partnership between the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Frankfurt Zoological Society, is one strategy to build our capacity and capability.

"It is certainly my hope, after the project reaches its twilight period in 10 years' time, that the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority management in Gonarezhou National Park would be able to build their own capacity in conserving the park's biodiversity resources,'' said Minister Nhema.
In an interview, Frankfurt Zoological Society project leader Mr Hugo van der Westhuizen said his organisation was not interested in taking over anything from National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

"We are apolitical and we know that wildlife knows no sanctions. Of course, our government has questioned our motive but we convinced it that we had nothing to do with politics.
"We are for wildlife conservation and we will do just that. We have invested a lot into the project and we have so far spent about US$3 million and we will be spending a million dollars every year for the next 10 years.

"After that we can renew our contract if we feel the department still needs us. We will leave everything behind when we eventually go but we want to make an impact in capacitating national parks to deal with poaching and several other problems it faces,'' he said.