By Emmanuel Onyango
A Zimbabwean wildlife ranger, Jealous Mpofu, has been named by the wildlife charity Tusk as its ranger of the year.
Mpofu won the 2023 Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award for his commitment to the protection of African wild dogs, also known as painted dogs, at Hwange National Park - the country's largest natural reserve park.
He will fly to London this week to receive the prize that is also accompanied by a grant of £30,000 ($37,600).
Mpofu is the chief tracker at Painted Dog Conservation that tracks down and monitors packs of wild dogs in Hwange National Park.
Painted dogs
He is responsible for reporting the whereabouts of packs in conflict zones to anti-poaching units, and he leads them into the areas to sweep for snares, the charity Tusk said.
"He is always the first responder to any incident in our areas concerning the dogs, quickly diffusing any possible animosity towards them,” Peter Blinston, the executive director at Painted Dog Conservation, is quoted as saying.
Fewer than 7,000 painted dogs are left across the entire continent, according to the Painted Dog Conservation.
There have been frequent conflicts between wild animals and people in recent years in Zimbabwe.
Threats to wildlife
According to the country’s parks and wildlife management authority, ZimParks, more than 80 people were killed by elephants in 2021 alone, while hundreds of others were injured by other animals such as crocodiles and hyenas.
A survey conducted by Fauna and Flora Zimbabwe (FafloZim), an eco-centric community-based organisation formed by a group of environmental lawyers and other experts, showed that poachers are endangering wild animals.
A 2021 report by the World Wildlife Forum (WWF) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) warns that human-wildlife conflict is the main threat to the long-term survival of some of the world's most emblematic species.
But with efforts of organisations and individuals like Mpofu, experts say hope is not all lost in saving the wildlife and ensuring their continued survival.
