Tell Mr Nhema, no more Elephants to die or be tormented at camp inside Kariba Park .Zimbabwe........

H.E. Mr. Francis Dunstan Nhema
Minister
Ministry of Mines, Environment and Tourism
Private Bag 7753
Harare
Causeway
Zimbabwe

Email Address: fnhema@ecoweb.co.zw
Office phone: (263 4) 702 042 / 701 681-5
Fax: (263 4) 702 054 / 252 673

Your Excellency,

It is with great concern I have recently heard of the shooting of a semi-habituated elephant at the Charara Camp situated in the Kariba National Park on Sunday 6th January 2008. It is understood from reports received from within Zimbabwe that the elephant had been harassed by visitors to the park in breach of the National Park rules on New Years Eve in a most disturbing manner. I was one of more than 4000 people around the world who signed petitions aimed at averting the elephant%u2019s untimely death. The death by shooting of this elephant; named Tusker, has unfortunately, created a negative view of Zimbabwe, internationally.

The events at Charara camp have seriously damaged the good standing of Zimbabwe as a potential tourism destination for wildlife lovers drawn to Africa for precisely the possibility of viewing magnificent animals like Tusker the elephant in the wild.

Whilst I understand, that human/animal conflict is an ongoing management issue for the Zimbabwe wildlife authorities, in this particular instance %u2013 the damage done was by humans; both the management of Charara Camp by allowing the New Years Eve party and the visitors who taunted and harassed the elephant. Indeed, previous to this the ongoing interaction of visitors with the elephant could have been averted. It should be noted that the elephant harmed no person, only property. That he was killed is a failure of the Zimbabwe Wildlife authorities to seriously meet their mandate to protect wildlife in the country. The management of Charara camp have abused the privilege of having a camp in a National Park. Measures must be taken to ensure that in the future they comply with, and enforce, the rules to their guests, from whom they profit.

I would find it very difficult, to include Zimbabwe on any African travel itinerary, until such time as it can be demonstrated that the Zimbabwean Tourism and Wildlife authorities are working together to mitigate against this kind of situation. This should include, as a first step, the more rigorous enforcement of National Park rules relating to feeding and disturbing the animals in any park in Your Excellency%u2019s care.

As Your Excellency is charged with promoting Zimbabwe to the international tourism market, I hope, you will take every action available to you to restore Zimbabwe%u2019s reputation as a premier wildlife safari destination. I look to you as the Minister responsible in Zimbabwe, and in your role as the head of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development to ensure the core values and mission statement of the Ministry for Environment and Tourism are met.

Yours sincerely
The undersigned below