Story by Margaret Matibiri
ZIMBABWE’s wildlife conservation efforts have earned international praise, with the country being hailed as a regional model for sustainable environmental stewardship.
Chief Executive Officer of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Mr Azzedine Downes, who is currently visiting Zimbabwe, made the remarks during a media briefing held at Hwange National Park after touring the renowned wildlife sanctuary.
“What has happened here in Hwange, and in Zimbabwe as a whole, is a role model for many others. Next week, we will be meeting with traditional chiefs from Southern Africa and we brought them here to Zimbabwe so that they can see the progress that has been achieved,” said Mr Downes.
He noted that lessons drawn from Zimbabwe’s conservation model would be shared with other countries where IFAW operates, including Malawi and Zambia.
Mr Downes also expressed admiration for the country’s rich biodiversity, singling out Hwange as a destination of choice for wildlife tourism.
“We have only been here for less than 24 hours and Hwange is filled with many surprises. We have already seen 17 lions, two massive cheetahs, and elephants roaming around – all within that short period of time. I am extremely happy; I wasn’t expecting that. I’m always happy to be in Zimbabwe, but I must say, if you are coming to Zimbabwe, you have to come to Hwange National Park,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s conservation efforts are largely community-led and supported by traditional leadership, government institutions, and international partners including IFAW a model increasingly being recognised as best practice across the Southern African region.
One of the latest initiatives under this partnership is the rehabilitation of the Hwange Main Camp lodges, a project undertaken in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks).
