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Matobo National Park – Poached Empty…

Mpopoma Dam, Whovi Wilderness Area, Matopos or Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe, Africa

Mpopoma Dam, Whovi Wilderness Area, Matopos or Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe, Africa

Game is very rare in this park, even in the Whovi Wilderness Area, the fenced in game viewing section. We were extremely motivated to spot one of the supposedly 30 Rhinos that still roam in this area and hired a ranger. But we had to accept that one giraffe and a few rock dassies would be all the wildlife on this otherwise most pleasant walking tour …

What struck us was how shy & scared the animals were. Even the cheekiest of all, the baboons, would fade into the bushes once we approached, something we had never seen before. Obviously the game has seen some rough times and poaching has taken a heavy toll. A Zimbabwean we met confirmed our suspicion: he remembered a park full of game 15 years ago.

Matopos or Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe, Africa

Matopos or Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe, Africa

To our great surprise, a simply wire mesh was the only protection for the 30 surviving rhinos there. We wondered, especially after having seen the serious measures taken in Uganda at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

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