Wildlife officers to shoot poachers in Zambia?


It could be time that laws were changed to allow powers for wildlife officers to shoot poachers.

Kapamba Kombe told newsmen that ZAWA has requested extra powers from parliament because the game parks are like war zones, and officers have been charged for returning fire – According to a report in NGR Guardian News. Previous applications have been declined, but due to the scale of poaching, and the danger posed to the lives of officers who are trying to protect the wild animals, this issue is being raised again.

According to the report, officers need to be able to shoot back, as their lives and livelihoods are at risk if they return fire when facing armed poachers.

Wildlife preservation measures have extended to rhino de-horning in South Africa, as the task of protecting wild animals in poor, under resourced countries is becoming ever more challenging. Endangered animals cannot be protected by laws alone.  While we celebrate legal victories, it’s the rangers and the enforcement officers who often fight the real battle without full support and the best protection we can offer.