The Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda, called on miners to avoid Hwange National Park and instead extract coal from other areas of Matabeleland North Province, where it is plentiful.
This follows a proposal by the Chinese company Sunny Yi Feng to launch a coal mining project in Sinamatella, a part of Hwange National Park. 
Sinamatella is a critical habitat for black rhinos and supports a growing population of this endangered species.
During a parliamentary session on tourism, Mudenda urged coal miners to focus on untapped coal deposits in Binga, leaving Hwange National Park undisturbed. He said:
<blockquote>
I will not subscribe to mining in national parks. The place that has been identified for mining purposes is not the only location where coal can be found.
We have coal in the southern part of Binga, as well as in the southeast and southwest of Binga—still virgin land with plenty of coal deposits.
Why disturb the ecology of the animals there?
</blockquote>
Bhejane Trust, a non-profit wildlife conservation organisation based in Victoria Falls, recently warned that the effects of coal mining in Sinamatella would extend beyond wildlife. 
The organisation said that tourism in the area would suffer, leading to the closure of tourist camps, loss of business, and damage to the park’s infrastructure.
The Trust also expressed concerns that mining operations would likely result in severe water pollution, destruction of infrastructure, and social issues such as prostitution, with little to no benefit for the country.
Such activities would disrupt the park’s ecosystem, threaten biodiversity, and severely impact wildlife habitats, particularly those of black rhinos.
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has also called on the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to reject Sunny Yi Feng’s application to prospect for coal in Sinamatella, citing concerns that mining would increase the risk of species extinction and hinder the recovery of animal populations.

Pindula News

Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda, says miners should not mine in Hwange National Park. Chinese company Sunny Yi Feng wants to mine coal in the park, but it's home to black rhinos that need protection. Mudenda wants miners to go to other areas in Matabeleland North where there is plenty of coal. Bhejane Trust warns that mining in the park will hurt tourism and wildlife. Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority also says mining in the park should be stopped to protect endangered species.

Mudenda Condemns Sunny Yi Feng's Proposal To Prospect For Coal In Sinamatella

Greaters Nyoni, a resident of Bulawayo, has been convicted by a Beitbridge Magistrate for the unlawful hunting and killing of a black rhinoceros, a specially protected animal.
The incident occurred on July 14, 2022, at Bubye Valley Conservancy.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPAZ) stated that Nyoni, along with Prince Mudenda, James Tapoka, Spencer Mharadza (who have already been sentenced to 9 years imprisonment), and President Oswell Musekiwa (still at large), hunted and killed the black rhinoceros using a .375 rifle belonging to Nyoni. They then dehorned the animal with an axe and reportedly sold the horns in Harare.
Game scouts discovered the crime scene and recovered an empty cartridge from the .375 rifle. A police report was filed, leading to the arrest of Prince Mudenda on March 26, 2023. Mudenda implicated Nyoni in the crime, who was subsequently apprehended.
The black rhinoceros is valued at USD 120,000, and no recoveries have been made.
Black rhinos are critically endangered, with populations having declined by more than 97% since the 1960s due to poaching and habitat loss.
Poaching remains the biggest threat to black rhinos, as their horns are highly valued on the black market for their supposed medicinal properties and as a status symbol.
Each kilogram of rhino horn can fetch as much as US$ 100,000, ultimately reaching up to $300,000 per horn.
Currently, there are just over 6,000 black rhinos left in the world.
In an unrelated incident, Lameck Shumba, a 53-year-old man from Beitbridge, has been brought before the Beitbridge Magistrates’ Court on charges of unlawful possession of two rhino horns.
The NPA said on March 21, 2024, the police received a tip-off that Shumba, along with his accomplices Prosper Zengeya and Abelina Nangai (who are still at large), were in possession of black rhinoceros horns. They were actively seeking buyers, preferably from South Africa.
Acting on the tip-off, the police posed as potential buyers and arranged a meeting with the accused persons at the Pagomba Sports Bar in Beitbridge.
During the meeting, Shumba arrived with Prosper Zengeya, carrying a blue plastic bag containing the rhino horns. Meanwhile, Abelina Nangai remained in Shumba’s motor vehicle.
The police signalled for backup, and upon their arrival, they managed to arrest Shumba. However, his two accomplices evaded arrest and abandoned their motor vehicle.
The confiscated rhino horns weighed 0.574 kg and 0.212 kg respectively.
Shumba has been remanded in custody until April 16, 2024, when his trial is scheduled to begin.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Man Jailed Nine Years For Killing Black Rhino Valued At US$120 000

Poachers recently killed and de-horned a black rhinoceros at Chipinge Safari Camp.
ZRP spokesperson in Manicaland Province, Inspector Nobert Muzondo, confirmed the incident to <a href="https://www.manicapost.co.zw/poachers-kill-black-rhino/">The Manica Post</a> saying the decomposing carcass of the black rhinoceros was found on 12 October. He said:
<blockquote>
Poachers sneaked into Chipinge Safari Camp armed with unknown rifles. They proceeded to one of the water points along the Chidimayi River on the safari where they shot and killed a black rhinoceros.
On October 12, the informant who was on patrol in the company of fellow game rangers discovered the carcass of the black rhinoceros about 500 metres along Chidimayi River.
A trail of blood was seen emanating from the water point along the river to the place where the carcass was discovered.
The carcass was inspected and it was discovered that it was notched on both ears. 
It was also observed that the poachers used an unknown sharp object to remove the horn.
Checks were made with Zimparks records and it was established that the black rhinoceros had a Notch Number 1481, first recorded in 2015.
</blockquote>

Poachers Kill, De-horn Black Rhino

Gonarezhou National Park has reintroduced the black rhino species, years after it became extinct, presumably due to over-hunting and poaching activities.
The last original black rhino population in Gonarezhou was seen in the 1940s and a reintroduction programme for the species was then implemented between 1969 and 1977, which resulted in 77 animals being brought to the national park from the Zambezi Valley.
The project resulted in the numbers of the black rhino growing to 140 but poaching activities in the 1980s resulted in the extinction of the species and by 1994, Gonarezhou had lost its black rhino for the second time.
Speaking to NewsDay on Thursday, Gonarezhou Conservation Trust director Hugo van Westhusein said:
<blockquote>
This has not only spread the risk from existing strongholds of black rhino in Zimbabwe but also brought back an essential mega-herbivore of the Gonarezhou ecosystem.
The reintroduced black rhino came from the three well-established populations in Zimbabwe, the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, Bube Valley Conservancy and Save Valley Conservancy.
Through their generous support in providing founder individuals, Gonarezhou can now play host to a new population of black rhino.
The aim is that these animals will become well-established in the park and grow into an International Union for Conservation of Nature-classified key one black rhino population.
</blockquote>
The relocation of the animals to Gonarezhou is being done under the guidance of an expert team comprising experienced veterinarians, ecologists and animal handlers.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2021/07/govt-reintroduces-black-rhino-in-gonarezhou/">NewsDay</a></h4>

Govt Reintroduces Black Rhino In Gonarezhou National Park

A board of inquiry has discovered that 56 rhino horns worth $3 million vanished from the stores of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority in Harare. The board of Inquiry wants the former Director-General Mr. Edson Chidziya to be held accountable for the loss and to be investigated by the Zimbabwe Republic Police. Chidziya was fired for maladministration and abuse of office.
Part of the Board’s report reads:
<blockquote>At criminal level, the director-general should be charged with C/S 184 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23) ‘Criminal abuse of duty as public officer’. (He) exhibited a high level of negligence in the execution of his duties relevant to the matter at hand in that . .he failed to put in place security and control measures to prevent pilferage of rhino horns.
When the initial one rhino horn was discovered to be missing, a prompt report was made to the police at the behest of the director-general. However, when a similar and more serious case of the 56 missing rhino horns was brought to his attention, he did not report it to police since July 2015 to date. On being questioned by the board of inquiry, the director-general said that he wanted to get a second opinion to authenticate the quantities before making a report. It was the responsibility of Edson Chidziya to ensure that the matter was reported to the police.
The authority did not make an internal investigation in this matter with a view of establishing the perpetrator and or circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the horns.</blockquote>
More: <a href="http://www.sundaymail.co.zw/us3m-rhino-horns-missing-at-zimparks/">Sunday Mail</a>

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