The Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit’s (VFAPU) annual fundraising golf day will take place on September 20 in Harare to raise funds for wildlife and conservation.
The event is being organised by Africa Albida Tourism (AAT). There is still space for more teams to enter, as well as for businesses or individuals to sponsor greens, tee-boxes and prizes for the event, or to make a donation.
VFAPU Head of Operations, Charles Brightman, said the US$30 000 raised at the Borrowdale Brooke Golf Club event last year was vital to ensure that its operations against all forms of poaching in the Victoria Falls region could continue.
“Our operations last year and so far this year have produced positive results; 166 poachers have been apprehended, and we’ve been able to save 19 mammals injured by poaching activities, including three elephants and six buffaloes.”
During 2018, VFAPU also removed a total of 215 wire snares from the bush surrounding Victoria Falls, with a further 56 retrieved so far this year, he said. He appealed for support to ensure this vital work continued.
AAT CE, Ross Kennedy, said VFAPU was a major part of the hospitality group’s corporate social responsibility programme, and that every cent raised through the golf day went directly to VFAPU. In the last six years alone US$145 000 had been raised for the unit through the event, he added.
Since VFAPU was established in 1999, the unit has arrested 792 serious poachers, removed nearly 22 500 wire snares and rescued 243 mammals injured by snares, treating them and releasing them back into the wild.
VFAPU, which works closely with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Zimbabwe Republic Police, operates in a 50 sq km area around Victoria Falls, and has 17 scouts patrolling seven days a week.
For more information on the VFAPU Golf Day or how you can help conserve Zimbabwe’s wildlife, please e mail: golf@africaalbida.co.zw
