The fight to preserve Zimbabwe's wildlife is being led by an emerging black majority

Date: 15 August 2003

Source: Financial Times

Author: Patrick Bergin

Sir,

John Reed is right that "it is easy to forget just how fast things went wrong" in Zimbabwe ("We can't put a policeman behind every animal", FT Magazine August 2). Not long ago Zimbabwe was regarded as one of Africa's model countries - at least in terms of wildlife and environment policies and management. Now, both its people and the wildlife are suffering.

Nevertheless some of Reed's pessimism seems misplaced. He writes: "It
occurs to me, as I write this, that wildlife and its protection in Zimbabwe - as elsewhere in Africa - is largely the concern of white people." As the leading international conservation organisation focused solely on the wildlife and wild lands of the African continent, our staff is more than 80 per cent (black) African, including our head of programme, chief scientist and senior representatives on the continent.

Despite the widespread suffering and devastation, there are many people working hard to protect wildlife and protected areas in Zimbabwe. While we are not the only non-governmental organisation working on the ground, the foundation has two offices in Zimbabwe, specifically in Victoria Falls and Kariba. Together, these offices employ 11 Zimbabwean employees who are proceeding with a number of conservation initiatives in Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries despite the current discouraging conditions.

On a recent visit to Zimbabwe, I was able to hand over assistance, including equipment, uniforms and food, to the park scouts working on anti-poaching efforts in the Zambezi valley and met some of the dedicated and capable members of staff of the new Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

I admit there is a perception that conservation is white-dominated but could the problem possibly be that journalists and others are not meeting the right people, or frequenting the right places? Might it be that too many of us habitually seek out the well known (white) spokespeople of conservation for sound-bites and overlook the emerging majority of professional and dedicated African conservationists who are ethnically representative of the majority of people inhabiting these countries?

Clearly, conservation is only one of the problems facing Zimbabwe at present. But we are hopeful that the preservation of Zimbabwe's wildlife assets, by Zimbabweans, will provide options for the future of that great country.

Patrick J. Bergin, President and CEO, African Wildlife Foundation,
Washington, DC 20036, US