Regarding how poaching affects the baboons there are both direct and indirect consequences. Baboons are eaten in this region of Zambia and are even more prized across the border in the DRC. Baboons are hunted with dogs and spears. Poachers come into the park looking for baboons. The dogs are used to help find the animals and to trap them in trees, the poachers than use spears or home-made guns to shoot the animals. Warthogs and bush pigs are also hunted in this way. They are cornered into holes by the dogs. Obviously from my perspective this type of poaching is inhumane and wrong. It causes severe stress to the animal and is illegal.
In October, poachers with dogs were just near to our camp. My scout managed to chase after them and shoot one of the dogs. The poachers fled and dropped their poached meet. Three bush pigs. The poachers themselves were later apprehended by Kasanka scouts and prosecuted.
During the dry months, poachers use snares to catch their prey, mainly antelope. The poachers set up wire snares in the woodland and then return several days later to remove any animals that have been unlucky enough to walk into their traps. In the meantime while the poachers are away any animal caught in the trap receives a very slow and painful death. They struggle for hours until they finally die of exhaustion, hunger, thirst or strangulation. Sometimes the poachers don’t make it back to their snares and the trapped animals are left to rot in the forest. Snares may be meant for certain animals but they are indiscriminate, any animal or person for that matter can get caught in a snare.
Although baboons are hunted in the park, the biggest affect that poaching has on kinda baboons, at least in Kasanka, is indirect. One day in September we noticed that one of our group members, a male juvenile, had a wire snare around his neck (Figure 1). We decided to name him Mushamo, which means “unlucky” in Bemba. Although the snare was loose, it was a death sentence. As Mushamo grew the snare would tighten until he was strangled to death. Unfortunately, upon my return from a trip to the United States, my scout Kingston informed me that Mushamo had disappeared. From the evidence we have, we assume that he died because of the snare.
As I said raising this topic has been on my mind for several months. The death of Mushamo as well as hearing gun shots near camp every day, including 9 shots in just one night, compelled to address this issue now.
I am curious to read your comments on this subject. Not comments about Bemba people eating baboons but about poaching in Zambia, how it is not sustainable, and how can we teach future generations other ways in which to survive and thrive. Zamia is one of the few remaining countries in Africa to have such a large diversity of wildlife and wildlife tourism is one of Zambia’s most profitable industries. We don’t want to lose these rare and unique animals to a small greedy and corrupt group of people
If you are inclined to help, Kasanka gladly accepts donations for is efforts to curtail poaching. Visiting Kasanka, which is absolutely beautiful, is another way you can help support anti-poaching efforts. Visit their website at www.kasanka.com for more information. In addition, the Kasanka Baboon Project is working with the local community schools to start a science club and is partnering with the Kasanka Conservation Centere to help run the Chingolo conservation clubs in the area.
I remain sincerely yours,
Anna Weyher
Fulbright Scholar
Kasanka Baboon Project
www.kasankababoonproject.com
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Poaching is a problem worldwide and as long as a mrket exists for animal products and poverty persists, it will never be eradicated. Th ebigeest problem I’ve found with animal conservation programs is that they completely ignore the needs of the local population who may depend on these animals for food. Somehow the dots between preservation of animals and the economic survival of the locals have to be connected. Somehow the locals have to be able to directly benefit from the tourist dollars to fully appreciate the need to conserve animals. Arguments about preserving animals for future generations make no sense to someone thats hungry today. Emphasis should be placed on the tangible economic value that locals can gain by preserving animals and discouraging poaching. The Masai are doing…
Dear Ana fulbright scholar
What do you understand by Ecology and Food chain?
There is no sweet way to kill an animal. Be it in a slaughter house or in the forest. Africa is about survival. For many Zambians it is a real struggle to put food on the table.
This is an argument that could go in many ways but I care more about human preservation than baboon preservation.
If baboon meat is going to nourish a human being in Congo or anywhere else for that matter. Let it be eaten. Go spend that fulbright grant on other studies than will enhance people’s lives. Many animals have been extinct through out history, dodo, mammoth, dinasaur…. but we are still here.
#2 it is irresponsible to say that you can kill all the animals in the park because you are hungry. Some of these poachers are just lazy and can equally derive the food they need through Agriculture including keeping animals such as goats, pigs, and cows for meat. Involving the surrounding community in conservation efforts especially if they see the benefits will be the best way forward.
Govt needs to step up efforts to bring down the poaching levels. If the can pump more money into ZAWA to hire more scouts, this would help to reinforce the small number of scout we currently have.
Anna, nice to hear from you in this way. Do keep it up, we need more goodwill ambassadors for wildlife in Zambia and hope you will be able to recruit as many whilst in Zambia. When you have time, do visit KNP soon. Atleast I know the kids would love to learn more from you.
Anna, most Zambians are entrenched in high levels of poverty and they will do anything to make a living. Worse still, there are hardly any stiff measures put in place to avert poaching and enhance conservation. I am not surprised that a man from Congo can take advantage of the situation and pay up front for a Zebra carcass. I hope , with your good efforts, our govnt will try to do something about the welfare of wild life and promote conservation to avoid extinction of endangered species. Keep it up.
Local people participating and benefiting in Tourism ventures is one way to help eradicate poaching.
There is a scheme in Luangwa -Integrated Rural Dev. Proj-Where part of funds from Licences,Gate fees etc are used to build Hospitals,run Schools .Chieftainess Chiawa i believe is strongly supportive of this so local leadership must be involved to make this a success.
Besides that,Locals must have a quota for hunting bearing in mind that they have co-existed with wildlife for centuries and not cropping these animals may lead to overgrazing,animals destroying crops like maize to name but a few issues.
Quote “In addition, the Kasanka Baboon Project is working with the local community schools to start a science club and is partnering with the Kasanka Conservation Centere to help run the Chingolo conservation clubs in the area.”
Way to go especially the Chongololo and Wildlife conservation Clubs.” Educateing the young might help the nation preserve our Wildlife heritage. I suppose alternative source of food especially protein ought to be encouraged. As much as I have heard Bemba’s said to eat ‘monkey family meat’ these people have not found it difficult to rare chickens once they have known how to do it.