Illegal activities and law enforcement in the Central Luangwa Valley, Zambia, from 1979 to 1992

Abstract

Reviews the effectiveness of law enforcement against poaching in the Luangwa Valley during two periods when funds were available. There was a decline, but not a halt in elephant and rhino populations in 1979-1982 when up to 22 effective wildlife scouts were engaged under the Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) funds providing an operating budget of US$15 per sq km. The illegal offtake of elephant was reduced to about 10% during the 1988-1992 period when NORAD funded the LIRDP programme which provided US$65 per sq km which led to an increase to 285 scouts in 1991. Analysis suggests that most wildlife management purposes including the conservation of elephants can be achieved for US$70 per sq km.