Objectives: By the end of this subtopic, learners should be able to;
Describe how cultural values and beliefs affect the management of resources.
Discuss possible humans-wildlife conflicts and existing legislature affecting wildlife in Zimbabwe.
Point out how principles of conservation and preservation of wildlife affect trading.
Explain the various habitats of wild animals and adaptation and survival of wild animals.
Describe the food chains and webs in an ecosystem.
Describe factors affecting breeding patterns of wildlife.
Wildlife refers to all living organisms out of the direct control of man, including undomesticated and cultivated plants and animals (flora and fauna).
The Zimbabwean Wildlife Policy defines wildlife as all forms of aquatic and terrestrial fauna and flora, which are indigenous to Zimbabwe, ranging from microorganisms to large species.
Non-domesticated animals in Zimbabwe they live in marginalized areas such as Hwange game Reserve, Gonarezhou National Park and Devure Range (region IV and V).
Wildlife Management
It is the practice of utilizing the non-farming resource sustainably.
Values of wildlife
1. Social values
Recreation for example elephant riding.
Special meat i.e. game meat and biltong.
Entertainment by hunting, game viewing and photography.
2. Economic values
Tourism attractions, for example animals may be photographed by visitors who pay in foreign currency.
Creates employment.
Earn foreign currency.
Medicinal purposes for example rhino is used for traditional purpose.
It improves the lives of people through Campfire.
Preservation of endangered species through CITES.
Use of marginal areas for game reserves.
Cultural values
There are positive and negative cultural and beliefs which affect management of national parks.
Positive effects
Names of animals used as totems for example Shumba (lion).
Gives us cultural dressing in form of the hides and skins.
Special meat for the chiefs for example pangolin.
Sacred areas where no grass or trees are not burned.
Sacred animals such as python and lion which should not be killed.
Negative effects
Other animals such as owls, hyenas and snakes are associated with witchcraft.
If a person kills an owl, a hyena or a snake, it can lead to misfortune.
Traditional healers have a tendency of killing animals such as snakes for example python, cheetahs, crocodiles and porcupine are believed to have great power by wearing them.
Ecological values
Promotes ecotourism.
Balances the ecosystem.
Provides habitats for the wildlife
It gives raw materials for example elephant skin for Industries and also skin and hides for making models for museums and curios
It promotes the study of organisms and how they interact with their environment
SUSTAINABLE USE OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES
It is the conservation of the existing wildlife resources by utilizing them at the same time allowing the resources to regenerate and replace the resources in a short space of time.
Conservation helps to sustain the wildlife resources for future generation so that they can also make use of the resources and enjoy the benefits of wildlife.
Conservation of wildlife resources avoids extinction by restricting killing and trading in wildlife and their products.
Introducing of CAMPFIRE and educate the community.
To practice artificial stocking and restocking.
Indigenous knowledge system (IKS) in management of natural resources
Farmers are the sources of indigenous knowledge including indigenous experts, opinion leaders and village elders.
The systems are the cultural and traditional practices, taboos and beliefs.
Human and animal conflicts
Conflicts created when people were relocated to other areas from their original homes to give animals the space to live.
People were not allowed to hunt wild animals and eat fruits in the protected areas.
Animals could go astray and destroy crops causing low yields for example hippos, monkeys, baboons, elephants and warthogs. This is caused by lack of food in the parks due to large wildlife population. Also wild animals favour crops grown by man because crops have got high nutritional value than the grass in the veld
Lions and elephants can also go astray and kill domesticated animals even the people and their homes for example hyena.
Poachers kill animals e.g. elephants for the tasks, rhinos for the rhino horns. Other animals are killed for game meat and trophies.
Snakes can kill people and the domesticate creating a conflict which can lead to the death of the snakes if seen.
Protection of resources
The protection of the resources is controlled by the government policy which supports the wildlife and regards it as a national heritage and it also has the overall mandate for the controlling and regulating on behalf of the nation.
The National Parks and wildlife Management Authority execute all the duties on behalf of the government.
National Parks which protect animals from poachers by research through monitoring and investigating wildlife in parks.
National Park recommends how to manage and carry out conservation activities.
Dissemination of information on wildlife management and conservation is done by the extension services and inter-protection to the public; it is carried out at the Harare Show, Zimbabwe International Trade Fair and through teaching in schools.
Non-Governmental Organization which helps the government to manage wildlife
World Wildlife Fund for nature (WWF).
International Conservation Union (ICUN).
Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF).
Conservation on International Trade in Endangered Species. (CITES).
CITES:
It controls the trading in all products of animals or plants covered on by convention depending on Appendices.
Appendix (i)
Consists of all species that are on the verge of extinction for example black and white rhino, leopards, cheetah, orchids, cranes, falcons and bat-eared foxes.
Appendix (ii)
Consists of animals not threatened by extinction but may become so if trade is not controlled.
Appendix (iii)
Consists of species that are protected in one country and the country requests co-operation of other countries in trade control.
Government policy on wildlife
The Parks and Wildlife (General)
Regulation SI 368 of 1990 which gives guidelines to users of wildlife:
The Parks and Wildlife Capture and Translocation Policy which gives guidelines on capture of wildlife.
The Parks and Wildlife (Protection)
Indemnity Act which protects law enforcement agents from prosecution if they accidentally kill a poacher.
The Parks and Wildlife (Import and Export)
Regulations SI 76 of 1998, which controls wildlife trade and complies with the Convention of International Trade in Endangered species (CITES).
The Parks and Wildlife Payment for Hunting Animals and Fish Notice 2003, which controls the prices for sale of animals and fish.
CAMPFIRE
It is the Communal Area Management Program for Indigenous Resources.
OBJECTIVES OF CAMPFIRE
Establish long term program development, management and sustainable utilization of natural resources in communal areas.
Promote the management of natural resources by placing them under the custody of local communities.
To allow communities to directly benefit from the exploitation of resources within their communal areas.
Establishment of administrative and institutional structures to enable sustainable utilization of biological resources.
The benefits of CAMPFIRE
Installation of boreholes to supply water in pre-schools, schools and clinics.
Dam construction to avoid water shortage.
Undertake environmental awareness in schools.
The setting up of hunting quotas ensures sustainable use of wildlife.
Generation of revenue for community based projects which create employment.
Conservation and preservation
Conservation
It is the protection through the legislation or other measures from exploitation in the interest of future generation.
It involves the sparing use of a resource in order to perpetuate its use in a sustainable manner.
Preservation.
It is translocation of wildlife to sanctuaries for their survival.
It protects the wildlife in their natural habitats without tampering with their environment in any way.
It is a strict form of conservation where the use of an area or resource is limited to non-consumptive activities.
Non-consumptive activities involve the use of resources without extracting them or destroying them for example scientific research, bird viewing and photography.
Under Preservation, area is left intact from human activity.
Within the preserved area, restricted natural environment are given precedence.
Preservation programmes
Restriction of development of roads in camping grounds.
Settlement in botanic garden forestry, for example Chirinda forest, near Mt Selinda in Chipinge District.
Use of forestry reserves for non-consumptive activities.
Prohibition of the collection of plants and animal species.
The laws regulations are often used to control use of rare and endangered species e.g. aloe, pangolin and rhino.
Biodiversity
It is the number of species of animals and plants in a natural environment.
Biodiversity is classified into three groups.
Gene biodiversity. It is the number of genetic characteristics of species.
Species biodiversity: It is the variability of species in a particular area.
Habitat /ecosystem biodiversity: It is the variability of habitats in a given area.
Ecology
Ecology is the interrelationship between organisms and their habitats.
Habitats is the natural home for wildlife, it includes grasslands, aqua, underground.
Types of habitat
Water (aquatic) Habitats
Accommodate animals live in water for example fish, crocodile and hippos.
Forest Habitats
Accommodate number of wildlife on vegetation (trees and grasses) for examples birds, kudu, buck and many others.
Underground Habitats
Accommodate animals which live in burrows which only come at night in summer in search of food mice, badge and crickets.
Food chain:
Food chain is the transfer of energy from the sun to the producer and to a series of organisms which feed upon each.
The diagrams below are examples of food chain.
Food web
Food web is a series of interrelated food chains with more accurate picture of the feeding relationships in an ecosystem.
Survival skills /adaptation to environment
Feeding Habits: Some animals such as owls and rabbits feed during the night and spend the whole day asleep
Camouflage: Colour of skin of animals resembles that of the surroundings for example chameleon changes colour to that of the environment.
Sentinels: Some animals in a group keep guard to warn other members of the group about impending danger for example baboons.
Carrying capacity
Carrying capacity is the number of animals that can survive on vegetation without damaging it.
Effects of exceeding carrying capacity.
Causes soil erosion
Shortage of animal food.
Plant species can become extinct.
Disease outbreak.
Stocking rate: Is the number of animals that is allowed to stay per unit area. Overstocking: Exceeding the number of animals that is allowed to stay per area that is livestock per unit (L/U). Understocking: It is the number of animal below the recommended stocking rate staying in an area.
Natural control of wildlife population.
Population can be controlled naturally by Natural Catastrophe for example:
Fire
Earthquakes
Volcanic eruptions.
Typhoons tornadoes
Population risk.
This occurs when population of certain species decrease in size to levels where mating, fertilization become impossible or rare.
Causes of changes in wildlife habitats
Grazing.
Mining.
Cultivation.
Water logging.
Desertification.
Dam construction.
Environmental pollution.
Soil factors for example when there is desertification.
Competition between species that is exotic species introduced, they displace local species of plants and animals by changing they cause to the habitat.
Factors affecting breeding patterns
Breeding seasons: each animal has its own breeding season or time.
