The
centre
serves
as
a
post
for
field
rangers
conducting
operations,
and
has
significantly
strengthened
the
Wildlife
Management
Authority’s
capacity
to
address
current
and
emerging
threats
impacting
this
important
MIKE
site.
Thanks
to
funding
from
the
Government
of
Japan,
and
on-going
support
from
the
European
Union,
area
management’s
ability
to
address
the
illegal
killing
of
elephants. The
Chewore
Safari
Area,
a
World
Heritage
Site,
provides
shelter
for
immense
congregations
of
Africa’s
large
mammal
populations,
which
concentrate
on
its
flood
plains.
However,
this
site
faces
a
real
threat
from
poaching
and,
in
recent
years,
elephants
have
come
under
increasing
pressure.
The
capability
of
the
Zimbabwe
authorities
in
keeping
surveillance
over,
and
preventing
elephant
poaching
in
the
area
has
been
enhanced
through
the
establishment
of
the
Centre,
allowing
for
better
and
more
secure
planning
and
management
of
patrol
activities
by
the
rangers.
The
Government
of
Japan
made
a
voluntary
contribution
of
USD
60,000
to
establish
the
Anti-Poaching
Operations
Centre
in
the
Chewore
Safari
Area
of
the
Lower
Zambezi
Valley,
which
been
operational
since
October
2017.
“Today
we
are
witnessing
an
initiative
that
demonstrates
the
importance
of
collaborative
work.
This
facility
we
are
celebrating
today
plays
an
important
role
in
easing
patrol
operations
in
the
sub-region”,
said
Arthur
Musakwa,
Director
Conservation
of
the
Zimbabwe
Parks
and
Wildlife
Management
Authority.
The
Tashinga
Initiative
Trust,
in
collaboration
with
the
Zimbabwe
Parks
and
Wildlife
Management
Authority,
led
the
construction
of
the
Anti-Poaching
Operations
Centre
funded
by
the
Government
of
Japan,
and
has
been
leading
the
implementation
of
the
EU
funded
MIKES
Project
activities
in
the
area
since
2015.