There’s still a chance to play your part to conserve Zimbabwe’s wildlife

Businesses or individuals may sponsor holes in the event organised by hospitality group Africa Albida
Tourism (AAT) in which 34 teams will tee off for conservation at Borrowdale Brooke Golf Club.
Alternatively, they may sponsor a scout or donate funds or equipment.

VFAPU head of operations Charles Brightman said the funds raised at this event are vital in ensuring
that its operations continue, after a conservation crisis unfolded during the Covid-19 years when
funding, which largely comes from tourism, dried up.

This is the first VFPAU Golf Day fundraiser since 2019, and Brightman appealed to supporters to dig
deep to ensure to ensure their vital work protecting the wildlife and its habitat in one of the world’s
most spectacular wilderness areas continues.

“Every little bit helps us support the wildlife and habitats in the Victoria Falls region. We must
protect our wildlife for our children’s future,” he said. “The wildlife needs your support.”
Against the odds last year alone, VFAPU scouts arrested 291 poachers, removed 550 snares and
rescued and rehabilitated eight injured mammals, but sadly the carcasses of 56 mammals, including
buffalo, lion, hyena and zebra were found. Most had been poached.

Goods donations welcomed by VFAPU include petrol, diesel, vehicle tyres, engine oil, hiking boots,
medical supplies, GPS, digital cameras and batteries, he said.

Africa Albida Tourism chief executive Ross Kennedy said: “VFAPU is highly coordinated, very well
organised and committed to conservation and saving wildlife, and Brightman has given an enormous
amount of his time to it for more than 20 years.

“It is vital for all of us that this commitment is maintained and that we raise the funds to fully
support the unit,” Kennedy said.

“AAT has been a lead supporter of VFAPU since the beginning, and in addition to holding the annual
VFAPU Golf Day which generates its key source of funds, AAT sponsors five scouts through paying
their salaries and medical aid,” he added.

“African Sun has generously committed to paying the salaries and medical aid of five scouts for a full
year, and it would be wonderful if some forward funding could be found to sponsor more scouts in
this way.”

The VFAPU Golf Day will also feature lunch, drinks, evening snacks and an auction, as well as some
incredible prizes up for grabs including accommodation vouchers at Victoria Falls Safari Club, Victoria
Falls Hotel and The Bronte Hotel.

Every dollar raised through the golf day goes directly to VFAPU, with AAT sponsoring the costs of the
event.
Since VFAPU was established in 1999, the unit has arrested over 900 hardened poachers, removed
more than 30,000 wire snares from their area of patrol and rescued over 400 mammals injured in
snares, treating them and releasing them back into the wild.

VFAPU, which works closely with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, the
Zimbabwe Republic Police and Victoria Falls City Council, operates in a 50kmsq area around Victoria
Falls, and has 16 scouts patrolling 24 hours a day seven days a week.