Aspects of high priority research programmes in Zimbabwe
Harare Head Office
·CAMPFIRE implementation, integrated planning and
updating legislation and guidelines etc.
· Vegetation monitoring of Parks estate
· Aerial Survey Unit (National) aerial surveys of large
mammals including elephant
· Park planning
· Sport hunting
· Data base management
· Quelea control
Nyanga National Park
· Trout breeding/sport fisheries
· Investigation into the invasion of indigenous plant
communities by exotic alien species (eg. Wattle, pine)
· Vegetation mapping and inventory
Kyle Recreational Park
· Fry production technology
· Cage culture development
Gonerezhou National Park
· Vegetation-elephant interaction (especially baobab
damage and loss)
Ornithology Research Unit
· Specially protected and rare birds (eg. Wattled crane)
· Problem bird control (eg. Quela control)
· Game birds
Matobo National Park
· Intensive protection zone for rhinoceros
· Location of rhinoceros in their habitat using radio
telemetry
· Sport fisheries
Hwange National Park
Main Camp
· The economics of tourism as a form of land use
· Vegetation – elephant dynamics
o Vegetation mapping using aerial photographs
o Measurement and analysis of three canopy cover change in
the park
Sinamatella Camp
· Intensive protection zone for rhinoceros
· Location of rhinoceros in their habitat using radio
telemetry
Scientific Services
There has been a shift from fundamental to applied research,
consistent with the growth of the wildlife industry. Opportunities
for adaptive management exist as well.
In adaptive management each act of management is designated
as a trial, the outcome of which can be assessed scientifically
and improved upon when necessary.
Monitoring of ecological processes has emerged as the major
requirement of Zimbabwe’s wildlife management programme,
hence the availability of accurate data on wildlife population
status and trends have been maintained.
The Research Division
In Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority
is the delegated scientific body in terms of article IX of
the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
The delegation of this authority is consistent with the principal
function of the Authority which is to maintain biodiversity
through conservation of ecosystems, species and ecological
processes so as to enable natural selection to operate on
wild populations.
The Research Division of the Authority comprises of two branches,
which are Aquatic Research and Terrestrial Research. The role
of the Division is to carry out research to underpin the Authority’s
mandate and to provide technical advice to the Director General
for implementation of wildlife management policy.
Primary Commitment of the Division
i. To offer advice based, where possible, on appropriate
research and investigation;
ii. To participate in measures to safeguard representative
samples of the natural terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
and their constituent elements;
iii. To offer advice on the development of the Parks and Wildlife
Estate and on the rational development of the wildlife and
fisheries industries.
Market and Product Commitment
-
Provide adequate information on the status, trends and,
where possible, the potential of ecosystems and their
elements as basis for their conservation.
-
Develop and suggest measures necessary to achieve the
goals laid down in the Zimbabwe Wildlife Policy document
and management plan for each area, and suggest how the
latter should be modified from time to time in light of
research findings and experience.
-
Provide biological checks against which long-term productivity
of land use in neighboring areas can be measured.
-
Provide the necessary background information and advice
needed to prevent the extinction of wild animals and plants.
-
Provide the necessary background information to the
control of problem animals.
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