Zimbabwe has been witnessing a very disturbing trend in the wildlife pattern. With the recent reduction and disappearance of red meat from the shops, people have been craving for more. They have even threatened to eat giraffe for red meat! A stray giraffe triggered off this problem. As the giraffe entered the city limits of Harare, several angry citizens threatened to kill the animal for the meat.
Apparently, this problem does have some racial connotations as well. The white-owned farms were seized by President Mugabe. Heavy price taxes were imposed on the meat production sector and things are going out of control. I think this is a very sad situation.
Zimbabwe should take immediate action in order to stop illegal poaching of wildlife. Also, the legislature should change and reverse a few laws. That way red meat would be readily available and people won’t be craving for already threatened giraffe meat.
One of the Zimbabwean wildlife officials reported:
We had to guard the animal until National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority officials arrived. Some villagers wanted to slaughter it so we had to remain here until it was taken to a safe place
The tall creature did attract a lot of pissed off people. Schoolchildren were mainly attracted by the creature since, many of them have never seen a giraffe. Bush fires ,inflammation and poaching are some of the problems that has been affecting the African nation’s wildlife.
Image Credit: BBC
