CONSERVATION NEWS
Ranger Report / Anti-Poaching Activities
Report prepared by: Brighton Mwanza
Reporting on RANGER programs for the month of June ,2026.
ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED
This report will highlights on the number of operations done in the month of June of 2026. The following are the operations conducted;
Long field patrols
Safari monitoring
Fire management
NOTE: Investigation and intelligence has not been conducted due to lack of funds to support this operation. Hence they is need to source for funds to help this program run, as we rely the information from the community members.
Therefore, this report will dwell much to the operations conducted ,officers involved in the operations, number of arrests as per operation, Recoveries, mode of transport used, Areas of operations and Constraints or challenges encountered during the month.
In the month of June, we managed to conduct 2 long field patrols, 10 times Day patrols, 3 times safari monitoring and 1 fire management activity.
OFFICERS INVOLVED IN THE PATROLS
The following are the officers involved in the patrols for the month of June 2026;
Rabson chibwana - NWCF
Beauty Nthala – NWCF
Frank Chulu - NWCF
John Mwanza - CRB
Kelvin Tembo - CRB
Abel Zulu - CRB.
The above officers were deployed on 19th June, 2026 and pulled out from patrols on 29th June, 2026.
NUMBER OF ARRESTS
During the month of June we did not apprehend any suspect during our patrols, hence no any arrests were recorded. This made us proud, as this is an indication that people are now acknowledging the importance of conserving animals and natural resources.
RECOVERIES / CONFISCATION
Since no any arrests were recorded in the month of June, this simply indicates that there were no any Recoveries. No any illegal poaching weapons confiscated.
MODE OF TRANSPORT USED
The mode of transport used in the month of June was a vehicle.
AREAS OF OPERATION
The areas of operations for the long field patrols and fire management activity were milyoti - kauluzi via nyonyo in the Game Management Area and the park.
CHALLENGES FACE BY RANGERS DURING PATROLS
The following are the challenges faced by our Rangers during their operations ;
Shortage on both camp and patrol rations, at least 2 pack per patrol.
Rangers still complaining about first AID kits.
Lack of DOME tents, there is need to procure some.
Must be an increase on the man – power at least 4 trained scouts, so that to give room to other scouts to be resting after long field patrols.
Lack of flash lights for night operation.
There is need to procure the following Ranger Gear;
Big patrol bag x 6
Full uniform x 6
Boots x 6 pairs.
Ballets x 6
Belts x 6
Jerseys x 6
Jungle huts x 6
Ovaros x 6
Ground mats x6
Sleeping bags x 6
Cooking utensils such as ;
Plates x 20 pairs
Cups x 4
Water buckets
CONCLUSION
Following on the above constraints, there is need to procure some Ranger gears of the Rangers for their full operational programs. Then 4 scouts should be recruited for efficient operation and also allow other officers to rest after long field patrols.
Rapid Response Program Report - June 2026
Report prepared by: Brighton Mwanza
INTRODUCTION
Wildlife species that enter villages or agricultural land are perceived as conflict animals. This time around since the water levels in the Luangwa river are low, animals like elephants, lions and many more are crossing visiting the villages where they can easily find food at a silver plate hence causing a conflict.
This June report will highlights on the updates on human wildlife conflicts in the area, human wildlife incidences per Village Action Groups(VAG) level, activities in progress and the challenges and way forward.
A Bull Elephant
UPDATE ON HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICTS IN THE AREA
Nsefu chiefdom has been frequently visited by some big five animals namely elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes, etc. But this time around the only problem animals that has threatened people’s lives is the bull elephant which moves every day at night in areas like Chitunda VAG and Kawaza down Katapila.
It has been moving alone especially from 19:00 to 04:30 somewhere there. Therefore people have been advised not to be moving at awkward hours to avoid human injuries and death. Further asked to be moving in groups not alone and avoid been drunk.
At least this time around incidences of crop damages, livestock Predation, Property Damage, Human Injury, and Death have reduced, because community members have understood the animal behaviors well and are ready to coexist through the sensitization meetings we have been conducting.
“A bull elephant threatening people’s lives in the area of Nsefu chiefdom especially areas of Chitunda VAG and Kawaza VAG down Katapila side.”
Following the above stipulated reports received of a bull elephant, which sims to be a problem in the area. Awareness messages were made to ensure that people are safe. We also urged them to avoid moving at nights whilst drunk and making sure they are in a group of two or more for safety.
ACTIVITIES IN PROGRESS
The following are the activities which are in progress;
Garden visitations – on going
Sensitization meetings with Gardeners - on going.
Vegetable seeds distribution .
Monitoring of gardens - on going.
HWC field assessments - on going.
HWC stakeholders monthly meeting - 2nd July, 2026 at Chinzombo DNPW offices.
HWC stakeholders quarterly meeting - 9th July 2026 at Msimbiti Garden Hall.
CHALLENGES
The following are the challenges the program is facing for it to execute its duties well ;
Delay in provision of mitigation kits such as flash lights, Vuvuzelas and fireworks.
The program lacks man power for effective operations. At least 2 people can be employed to boost the man power.
Gardeners are lacking vegetable seeds, measurable fertilizer, watering cans and pesticides in order for them to have good gardens that will provide quality vegetables.
Gardeners are also asking for Chova pumps for effective watering of their gardens, as some of them are widows who can not afford to procure own their own.
More fuel is required for effective monitoring to these Gardeners and HWC field assessments and also for movement in the communities to sensitize them.
WAYFOWARD TO THE CHALLENGES
Quick attention to the above stipulated challenges is needed by the organization for effective operations and creating a strong bond with the community members.
Zambia seizes a half-ton of ivory tusks smuggled by cross-border syndicate
Some of the seized ivory tusks in Lusaka
Acting on intelligence provided by EIA, Zambian law enforcement agents raided a house in the capital Lusaka on 9 March and arrested nine Zambians, including an individual from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), allegedly involved in the illegal wildlife trade.
Officers from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) seized just under 550kg of ivory, which they found in the property, along with ivory seized in a follow-up operation.
Some of the seized ivory tusks in Lusaka
Their action marks the successful conclusion to an operation that has been several months in the making and has disrupted an alleged international ivory trafficking syndicate operating with impunity across the Southern African region for many years.
Read full story: https://eia-international.org/news/zambia-seizes-a-half-tonne-of-ivory-tusks-smuggled-by-cross-border-syndicate/
Anti–Poaching Success in 2025!!
Anti-Poaching Success in 2025!
Rangers are trained to be law enforcement officers, skilled at protecting and preserving wildlife from extinction and also keeping wildlife safe in the field by making arrests, looking for injured animals often caught by snares, and the search and removal of snares from the field.
Members of our Rangers Team
This report highlights the SUCCESSES scored and will focus on APPREHENSIONS and RECOVERIES and/or CONFISCATIONS in 2025 following the patrols conducted by our Rangers. The following are the achievements for 2025:
Twenty (20) long field patrols.
Sixty (60) Day patrols both in the park and within Game Management Area (GMA).
Four (4) Ambushes.
Six (6)Road blocks at Mwangazi Bridge and at the camp.
Ten (10) night operations both in the park and within Game Management Area. Unfortunately in one of the night operations we conducted...we lost our scout Webby Banda in the line of duty. His loss emphasizes the extreme dangers our rangers face and he is missed terribly. A husband, a father, and a mentor to our team. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Nsefu Wildlife is feeling his loss deeply.
We also conducted two (2) investigations based on the number of reports received from the community members.
PART. 1 – APPREHENSIONS (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES)
As a Wildlife Ranger program, following our operations during our long fields patrols, Day patrols, Ambushes, Night operations and Road blocks;
We managed to apprehend eight (8) suspects who were caught up doing illegal poaching activities .
Below are some photos;
PART. 2 – RECOVERIES/CONFISCATIONS
We managed to recover some illegal poaching items as listed below;
Eleven (11) muzzle loading guns (firearms)
Thirty-five (35) pallets (man -made bullets).
Twenty- three (23) snares.
750 grams of gun powder.
Two (2) flashlights.
Four (4) cooking pots and 6 plates.
Six (6) kgs of mealie meal.
Six (6) bags.
Sixteen (16) boxes of matches.
Seventeen (17 )empty sacks.
Below are some photos for the above RECOVERIES;
Two (2) muzzle loading guns, flashlights, bags, plates, sacks, gun powder and many small items.
A bag, muzzle loading gun , pallets, a sack and a carcass of an impala.
A sack of snares and two (2) cooking pots.
PART. 3 – CONCLUSION
The year 2025 has been a successful one, as we achieved a lot of things in terms of Activities, apprehensions and confiscations/RECOVERIES. Therefore, the Rangers need to be motivated in terms of incentives for their positive result recorded in order to keep up with their good job. We should always wish them well whenever there are in a patrol as being in the Bush it’s risk.
THANK YOU!!!
Nsefu Wildlife Radio!
Nsefu Wildlife Traveling Conservation team members Brighton and Mtukwa were on the RADIO in Mfuwe, Zambia.
Our Nsefu Wildlife team members Brighton and Mtukwa took to the airwaves of Mfuwe, Zambia to talk about conservation, the importance of the wildlife and environment to the region, and the work Nsefu Wildlife is doing in the Nsefu Sector!!! It is critically important to spread awareness in the community about the value and importance of wildlife. Tourism is a MASSIVE part of the economy and everybody wins when we take care of where we live and the animals who live there.
Our Nsefu Wildlife Traveling Conservation Team members cover the sector speaking at schools and villages about conservation and the program is a big success. We spread awareness any way we can...and we are very proud of our team members with the job they did on the radio!!! They are our "Conservation Stars"!!!! Great job Brighton and Mtukwa and Team Nsefu!
