Zimbabwe continues trading in ivory, high-value animal hides

Global Business

While many in the world community want to stem illegal wildlife trade, Zimbabwe wants to continue trading in ivory and high-value animal hides.

Zimbabwe has a large stockpile of ivory. Authorities offered a rare glimpse inside those vaults. CCTV’s Farai Mwakutuya has more.

Authorities are defiant in the face an international lobby to ban the hunting of elephants and lions and to outlaw trade in their products. They have said that money from some of the sales would go into conservation and helping the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, which were currently underfunded and failing to keep up with rampant poaching.

Officials have said they’ve secured a consensus in the region on the need to preserve the trade in ivory and to continue trophy hunting as part of efforts to manage its wildlife in a sustainable manner.

Edson Chidziya, director general for the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, said he believed where we were today was because of our bio diversity.

“We are definitely not going there to lose because this is something as a country we fundamentally believe and I think we are were we are today because of our bio diversity standing because of that stance we want to persuade our counterparts to try and understand where we are coming from we understand our circumstances are different and we also hope our colleagues will also hear us out on this one,” Edson said.


Kingsley Moghalu discusses illegal poaching

CCTV-America’s Rachelle Akuffo talked with Kingsley Moghalu, professor of Practice in International Business and Public Policy at The Fletcher School at Tufts University, on this issue.

Follow Rachelle Akuffo on Twitter @RachelleAkuffo