Counter-poaching operations do not just entail tracking poachers, it takes a lot of groundwork too. On a recent routine operation in Nyika, Malawi’s oldest and largest national park, Counter-Poaching Coordinator Norman English and his team come across a poacher’s camp.
The Remnants Of A Poacher Camp
Today’s counter-poaching team consists of Norman, Alick, Kondwani and their trusty furry sidekick, Nkonzo, who helps sniff out illegal activity within the park. With his help, the team discovers a poacher camp with the remnants of reedbuck jawbones scattered on the ground, indicating that the animal was more than likely poached.
After finding more evidence around the poacher camp, including bits of clothing, charcoal used for cooking and other small bone fragments, the team suspects that this base has been used over a long period of time. By discovering this poaching camp and flagging its location, the counter-poaching unit can now monitor the area to stop potential further poaching incidents before more losses occur.
As they continue their search, they soon discover makeshift bridges and well-worn pathways poachers use to move through the area. The team make sure to flag these coordinates too.
Working With Communities
In many conservation areas throughout Africa, small-scale subsistence poaching remains a constant problem as local communities are still dependent on nature for their survival. It is, therefore, important for Peace Parks Foundation and the counter-poaching teams to understand and work with the needs of the community so that alternative sources of sustenance can be developed. This will help to alleviate the pressure on natural resources.
Not only this, but Peace Parks supports several educational programmes that teach the younger generation about how having healthy numbers of animals can help to benefit local communities through nature-based tourism and the creation of employment opportunities.
The Role Of Counter-Poaching Units
Peace Parks and partners are working closely with the Government of Malawi to protect and restore the unique landscape of Nyika National Park. The rapid response unit, which consists of a canine unit – Jungle, Nkonzo, AK and their handlers, plays an integral part in this uncovering illegal activity and preserving Malawi’s natural heritage for generations to come.
