DNPW REGISTERS PROGRESS TOWARDS CURBING WILDLIFE CRIMES

By Kenson McCloud 

Director in the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Brighton Kumchedwa says tremendous progress has been registered over the past decade in combating wildlife crimes.

Kumchedwa was speaking in Lilongwe on Wednesday during an overview meeting with the media on illegal wildlife trade assessment.

According to Kumchedwa, strong laws that have stiffer punishment and fines have made the difference in discouraging people from committing wildlife atrocities.

Kumchedwa cited revising upwards of fines from K20 Thouand to K22 Million.

 "124 people have been arrested between 2017 and 2020." he added. 

However, the director is concerned with several factors that are derailing fight against wildlife crimes chief among them being shortage of staff and stalling of court cases due to the pandemic.

Kumchedwa has since said the department has launched a campaign aimed at seizing property belonging to traffickers of ivory, pangolins and other wildlife species.