PRESSURE MOUNTS AS TOUR OPERATORS PROTEST AND DEMAND THE RETURN OF FWANYA THE LEGENDARY WHITE RHINO
Tour Operators in Livingstone this morning protested to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) offices over the alleged illegal translocation of the famous White Rhino Bull named ‘Fwanya’ from Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park to a privately owned Ranch.
The Tour Operators Later on presented a petition to Livingstone Mayor Constance Muleabai demanding for the immediate return of Fwanya to the National Park.
Fwanya who is an icon of the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park was allegedly diverted from Lusaka Park where he was destined, to a private ranch owned by a foreign national only known as Drizzy.
This came to light after a leaked heated audio conversation between a Wildlife Officer and a Senior Staff in the Ministry of Tourism.
Zambia Association of Indigenous Tour Operators (ZATO) Secretary General Kelvin Mwelwa says the translocation of Fwanya will disadvantage tour operators from marketing the industry as fwanya is a selling point to tourists.
Mr Mwelwa also discloses that Fwanya has also been dehorned while at the private Ranch and has since called on Government to investigate the matter
Meanwhile, Ms. Muleabai says she is equally concerned with the translocation of the Rhino Bull, but asked for time to engage the Minister of Tourism Rodney Sikumba before she reverts to the tour operators to make a comprehensive statement.
But Mr. Sikumba says the translocation of Fwanya was meant to stop the inbreeding in Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park and re-stock Lusaka Park.
CREDIT: Zambezi FM