VICTORIA FALLS
ANTI-POACHING UNIT

"Dedicated to Wild life Conservation"

In Co-operation with...

National Parks and wildlife Management Authority

 The Zimbabwe Republic Police

Victoria Falls Tourism Police

Victoria Falls Municipal Police

The Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and have been designated a World Heritage Site, under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. The falls are surrounded by the 2 340 ha Victoria Falls National Park and the 57 000 ha Zambezi National Park. These state-protected areas are home to numerous species of fauna and flora, which, through recent times have unfortunately been subject to a dramatic increase in various forms of poaching.                                    

Meet the Game Scouts who patrol in and around the Victoria Falls area

VFAPU three times winner of the Green Globe 21 Award as presented by the Zimbabwe Council for Tourism

Educating our children about Conservation Awareness is critical to long term success

Job creation for ex poachers is key. These ex poachers now work at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge

This is why it is so vital that VFAPU continues to operate to stop this kind of tragedy happening. This young buffalo has lived with agony of this wire snare cutting into it's skull as it has grown up

One of the VFAPU scouts shows us some of the 19300 snares that have been recovered to date. Imagine how many animals would have died, if VFAPU hadn't recovered these.

The Victoria Falls Anti Poaching unit is committed to the conservation of its wildlife.

The unit was established in January 1999, by the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge and local safari operator Charles Brightman, see more about about Charles at Discover Safaris.

Today, working in close co-operation with both the Parks and wildlife management authority and the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the unit patrols an area within a four kilometre radius from Victoria falls.

"VFAPU's impact has been Dramatic."

Whilst its main activity is largely directed at the removal of snares and the apprehension of mammal and wood poachers, a great deal of time is spent educating and reinforcing the benefits of conserving our natural resources.

A critical part of the anti- poaching unit's philosophy has been to recognise that many people have been driven to poaching by economic hardship and that alternative means of subsistence need to identified and encouraged.

Thus the unit has been working on job creation and economic development groups to try and rehabilitate poachers rather than taking a purely punitive stance.

A total of 15 men work in the Unit, which is managed and operated by Charles Brightman, ably assisted by Lovemore Ncube - senior scout.

Successes to date include the recovery of 19300 wire snares and the arrest of 400 poachers.

The unit relies solely on private funding from donors and sponsors.

It receives no Government funding at all. Tour operators within Victoria Falls contribute as much as they can to protect their heritage.

The ultimate goal is to receive international funding so Vic Falls anti-poaching unit can extend its area of operation, but in the short term the unit is extremely short of funds just to keep the basic operation active.

Please if you feel like making a donation of any size contact Charles at the address below or contact us and we will assist in getting you in touch with the right people.

If you would like to receive monthly up dates on the Vic Falls anti-poaching units successes and challenges. Please subscribe to our newsletter below.

Victoria Falls Anti Poaching Unit (VFAPU)
PO Box CT 544
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe
Tel/Fax: +263 13 45821
Cell No: +263 11209144
Email: cat@yoafrica.com

Please also read our page on the Friends of Hwange which is a trust formed to save the wildlife in Zimbabwe's largest National Park - Hwange

IAPF - International Anti Poaching Fund is also working tirelessly to save our wildlife. Their website details the shocking facts - see how you can help.

Please take a look at these photographs provided by the Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit. Each photo enlarges in a new window.

 

Impala wire snared on the banks of the Zambezi	Female buffalo poached -you can see the now dead unborn calf.
Agonising death of another Impala	Male Impala skinned
Warthog with a snare around its snout	Buffalo leg swollen beyond recognition due to being caught in a wire snare.
Wood Poachers are apprehended in the Zambezi National park	Volumes of trees are cut down for the wooden curio market trade.
This graphs shows the impact VFAPU has had on snares since its inception in 1999	These are snares that have been recovered for the National Park and are now being handed over to the warden
Commercial Rhino Horn poaching is a very serious threat	This photograph was taken moments after this elephant was killed.
Commercial poaching of ivory tusks	Another elephant is poached for its Ivory.
These saw dust burning cooking stoves have reduced the numbers of trees being cut down for fuel.	This Buffalo was darted and its leg treated for a badly infected wound caused by a wire snare.
Game scouts have regular training and instruction	Game scouts on a drill practice
Anti-Poaching unit's social soccer club	This vehicle has been donated to the Anti-poaching unit.
A poacher is arrested	More Poachers are arrested

Return from Victoria Falls anti-poaching unit to our home page