The Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust makes for a fascinating addition to any itinerary and only takes a couple of hours out of your day as it is a one-hour tour. Here the staff are passionate about ensuring that communities learn to live in harmony with the wildlife that shares their home.
This short video gives an introduction from one of the founders but to see first-hand the important work that they are carrying out for conservation and rural communities please do encourage your clients to come and support this worthwhile Trust.
The Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust has as its core, the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife that will have been caused by human interference. A lot of this will be from wire snares used by poachers.
The ultimate aim is to care for and then release animals back into their natural habitat however this is not always feasible. Animals that have sustained permanent injuries such as Judge the white backed Vulture, remain at the Wildlife Trust and acts as an ambassador for the great work that they are undertaking.
The Trust bring local school children into the project every week to educate them on living with wildlife and the importance of conservation. In addition they have set up a veterinary service to assist rural communities with caring for their livestock which is their livelihood. This goes a long way in mitigating human and wildlife conflict.
A number of research projects are being run by the Trust to study lions, elephants and vultures. To look at how to manage wildlife and human conflict with these animals that often come into communities and ruin crops or kill livestock. To teach communities that by poisoning food to kill a lion also has the effect of killing hundreds of vultures as well. To show communities how to protect crops and livestock instead with predator proof mobile bomas.
Since these bomas have been implemented there has not been a single head of livestock that has been kept in the bomas killed by predators. In addition as the bomas are mobile it is increasing the fertility of the land and consequently a better crop yield as well.
The Trust is also home to the only wildlife forensic laboratory in the KAZA region. The Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust is a partner with the KAZA Secretariat in the training of rangers and investigators regionally to improve wildlife crime scene investigations. Their work is crucial in the fight against poaching, poisoning and illegally killing wildlife. The lab also plays a crucial role in monitoring disease within both wildlife and livestock.
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For further information on the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust –
