28 Aug 2016

General manager of Limpopo-Lipadi Game Reserve  in the Tuli Block, Ms Cally Hanley says wildlife in Botswana forms the country’s heritage and as such needs to be protected.

Speaking during an anti-poaching workshop organised by game reserve at Tsetsebye to the learners of the Busang, Tsetsebye and Moletemane primary schools and Tsetsebye Junior Secondary School over the weekend, Ms Hanley said it was important to protect the flora and fauna of the country as they generated revenue for the country.

She stated that it was imperative to sensitise children about the dangers of poaching because all animals and plants made up the ecology, and as such the future of the world lay with children.

The tourism sector forms the second income earner for the country after diamonds and as such concerted efforts must be put in place to deal with those that intends to deplete the natural resources especially animals which were hunted for various reasons, Ms Hanley said.

Further, Ms Hanley said the sector had created a lot of employment opportunities for many citizens employed in lodges, wildlife sites and that in the game reserve they had employed over 16 people and wandered where they would go if the flora and fauna was depleted in their area.

The workshop, which targeted 40 learners from the four schools was held under the theme Learners empowerment on anti-poaching, was organised to mobilise and sensitise youth to report poaching activities to relevant authorities such as the police and wildlife officers.

Chairperson of the Association of Environmental Clubs of Botswana (AECB), Mr Sente Mosweu a teacher at Mmadinare Senior Secondary School advised learners that they must act against those they witnessed removing any natural resources without permit.

Mr Mosweu said poaching was a complex issue as people poached natural resources for various reasons at the detriment of the environment.

He said the illegal removal of natural resources had damaged the environment and as a result AECB mandate was to teach and raise awareness on students so that they spread the anti-poaching message to anyone who poaches including their parents.

Wild animals, he said must not be used as a source of food as some people thought but there must be a peaceful coexistence between people and the environment.

AECB in schools, he said spread its message through public education, through deterrence and by winning people’s hearts about dangers of poaching.

Another speaker, Ms Cecilia Thobogang a teacher at Molalatau Secondary School commended the Department of Wildlife and National Parks in Bobonong through the Community Support Outreach for being active in the AECB activities in schools. ENDS

Ms Thobogang stated that through the club they wanted students to implement what they had been taught and learned and be able to share the information about the environment.She added that it was necessary to predict the environment habitat so that people could change the attitude. ENDS