Chinese Academy of Sciences donates anti-poaching equipment to Zimbabwe

Source: Xinhua| 2019-09-05 22:35:53|Editor: Shi Yinglun
Video PlayerClose

ZIMBABWE-HARARE-CHINA-DONATION

President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Bai Chunli (L) hands over the anti-poaching equipment to Zimbabwe's Acting Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Mangaliso Ndlovu (C) in Harare, Zimbabwe, Sept. 5, 2019. The CAS and Sino-Zimbabwe Wildlife Foundation on Thursday donated anti-poaching equipment to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks). The 62,000-U.S.-dollar worth of equipment includes six conservation drones, a laptop, power point projector and 1,000 first aid kits. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang)

HARARE, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Sino-Zimbabwe Wildlife Foundation on Thursday donated anti-poaching equipment to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks).

The 62,000-U.S.-dollar worth of equipment includes six conservation drones, a laptop, power point projector and 1,000 first aid kits.

President of the CAS Bai Chunli handed over the equipment to Zimbabwe's Acting Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Mangaliso Ndlovu at a ceremony in Harare.

Bai expressed hope that the donation will help boost the capacity of Zimbabwe's wildlife management agency in curbing wildlife poaching which remains a major challenge in the country due to lack of resources.

Ndlovu thanked the CAS for the equipment, which he said will boost the country's wildlife conservation efforts.

"The donation, no doubt, will help us in our anti-poaching programs particularly looking at our good record of conservation as a country," said Ndlovu.

"This donation will help us particularly in areas of research and monitoring activities in wildlife and we really appreciate the Chinese Academy of Sciences as well Sino-Zimbabwe Wildlife Foundation for the partnership that we have developed over the years. We hope that this will continue to grow for the benefit of the two nations and of course for the benefit of our wildlife conservation efforts," the minister added.

He said Zimbabwe is proud to have an impressive global conservation record and status, and will ensure that the equipment is put to good use.

Zimparks Director-general Fulton Mangwanya said the donation will help the organization in its ongoing fight against poaching by organized criminal syndicates.

He said the equipment was among the organization's priority requirements, and will go a long way in boosting their law enforcement capacity as well as in addressing constraints that they face.

"We are very grateful for the gesture of support shown by our friends from China, our all weather friends. As you might be aware, Zimparks is in the battle field to fight organized criminal syndicates that are robbing us of our precious wildlife resources," said Mangwanya.

He said it was essential for the country's anti-poaching rangers to be provided with better equipment to become motivated and more effective at reducing poaching in the country's wildlife protected areas.

Zimparks is protecting about 5 million hectares or 13 percent of Zimbabwe's land.

"The donation is indeed a shot in the arm for our operations and I assure you that such equipment will be deployed to the poaching hot spots where we will make the best use of such equipment," said Mangwanya.

He said the equipment was timely as it had come at a time when the organization had just finished recruiting a drone specialist, a drone technician and a drone pilot.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Zimparks signed an agreement for the two parties to collaborate in biodiversity research, conservation and educational training.

Wang Qingfeng, Director of CAS affiliated Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, signed the agreement on behalf of the organization, while Director-general Mangwanya signed on behalf of Zimparks.

KEY WORDS:
EXPLORE XINHUANET
010020070750000000000000011100001383685291