14th January 2010
We would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2010.
On the 21st of December, we went to Kariba and stayed at Nzou Lodges, close to the NAU Charara site where the infamous party takes place. We never take a radio or a TV there because it seems almost sacrilegious to disturb the peacefulness and natural silence of the bush with music. Until the 29th of December, there were very few people there and it was wonderful to sit quietly listening to the beautiful sounds of nature. We were very lucky because there was a herd of 11 bull elephants in the vicinity for the duration of our stay and every night, we were treated to a visit from one or two of these majestic beasts, walking right past our cottage.
Then on the 30th of December, the peacefulness was abruptly shattered. The disco was set up in Charara and the party-goers starting arriving. Cars, motor bikes and quad bikes were screaming up and down the dirt roads and the silence was replaced with the continuous thump-thumping of music emmanating from the disco, the cottages and the cars. Pick-ups loaded to the hilt with teenagers, waving drinks in the air, shouting and cheering, drove recklessly past the elephants and the hippos.
On New Year's Eve, we arranged for a young ZCTF member to attend the party. He reported that the ages of the party-goers ranged from about 13 to 18 and children who were obviously much younger than 18 were buying alcohol from the bar. He could smell the unmistakable aroma of marujana and in the early hours of the 1st of January, many of these young people were sprawled all over the ground in a semi-comatose state. He saw one young couple copulating in the dirt behind a car, in full view of people walking by. At midnight, fireworks were set off, in blatant disregard of the signs at the entrance of Charara "Strictly no fireworks." We were deeply saddened by this total lack of respect for the wildlife.
According to our member, a police detail was present but they did practically nothing. They sprang into action once when a fight broke out but otherwise remained inconspicuously in the background. They were not in the least concerned about the ages of the children buying alcohol or about the setting off of fireworks.
We noticed a change in the behaviour of the 11 elephants. They seemed to be aggravated and confused, flapping their ears and trumpeting. We watched anxiously from a distance as one bull mock-charged a car full of youngsters, knowing that if he had carried out the charge, somebody could have been hurt or killed and then the elephant would have been classified as a problem animal and shot.
We have tried to put a stop to this party or at least to have it moved to a location closer to Kariba town, away from the main wildlife preserve and we will carry on trying. The problem is, the party is a money spinner for the organizers, the National Anglers' Union who obviously feel that making money takes priority over everything else. It may surprise them to know that some things are more important than money.
From email from zimbabwe Conservation Task Force
Submitter's note: Perhaps Simba or Cody might be able to post the pictures associated with his email.
