Biz/ed - Wildlife Tour - Kafue National Park [ Biz/ed Virtual Developing Country ]

Kafue National Park

Fighting Poaching in North Kafue: A resource problem

Fighting Poaching in North Kafue

The Park warden of North Kafue National Park has a difficult job. Trying to control the poaching that is rife within the park with only 90 game scouts and one vehicle. The generators and water pumps that provide electricity and water are broken and he has no funds available to service them. In the face of the lack of transport the scouts operate a system of satellite camps in the areas where the poaching is known to take place. In the camps the scouts live for a period of months, leaving the camp early in the morning and returning at night. They experience great hardship especially during the rainy season. Many do not have tents and some do not have boots or shoes. The are very much open to the elements and as you can imagine morale reaches rock bottom. Disease and injury were also common. Scouts regularly die from diseases such as Malaria. In addition battles with poachers adds to the dangers. The poachers, often with automatically rifles, four wheel drive vehicles and better equipment kill or wound a number of scouts every year. It is a dangerous job. In return for protecting the wildlife of North Kafue the scouts receive a monthly income of around £20 per month. Imagine trying to support a family on £5 pounds a week. Not surprisingly many scouts look for better paid work in the towns and cities of the country. Some even resort to illegal hunting or collaborating with the poachers.

Fighting Poaching in North Kafue

With the burden of debt and the pressure to achieve macroeconomic stability and reduced budget deficit the government simply does not have the resource to ensure that Kafue's natural heritage is sustained. A number of NGOs attempt to provide resources such as boots, medical supplies and tents that improve the living standards of the anti poaching scouts however, if Kafue's population of wildlife is to remain then more resources are needed. This leaves the government in a dilemma. The opportunity cost of resources for wildlife conservation is poverty reduction elsewhere in Zambia.

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