On Saturday 12 June the first report of an elephant carcass came in from a ZAWA wildlife police officer. CLZ followed up on this – plus another one that was reported the next day. ZAWA teams have been dispatched to find the poachers. It was sad news to hear of these two elephants, and reminds us that we need to be ever vigilant. 

Although these were the first elephant casualties of 2010, poaching for bush meat has remained a constant threat. Contrary to belief, the majority of bush meat is poached as a luxury item for wealthy individuals, and not for local communities who are struggling to feed their families. Bush meat is in fact more expensive than beef, but the demand remains high.

Our teams have been fantastic but as usual we need constant support to keep them active.