From Poacher to Protector

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1532677163746{margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”]In the early hours one morning this June, a farmer named Mr. Banda, woke to the devastating sound of his wall crumbling above him. He looked up to see moonlight reflecting off a shining white ivory tusk, protruding into his house. An elephant was just outside his mud and thatched home, trying to get at the precious maize stored inside. He screamed for help, and his son and brother came running from nearby homes. By lighting fires and making loud noises they were able to scare off the attacker, who disappeared into the night. Mr. Banda’s house was saved, but much damage had already been done. Before he woke, the elephant had knocked over his granary and ate nearly a third of the contents stored inside, a devastating loss of over $50 of precious income.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1532677178867{margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”]Thanks in large part to COMACO’s incentives to stop poaching, wildlife are returning to parts of the Luangwa Valley where they haven’t been seen in decades. In general, this change is celebrated by local communities. “Our children can see an elephant in the village now,” said one ex-poacher proudly, “wildlife bring development for us.” Animals that used to be seen solely as a source of meat, are now viewed as a source of economic development. Nearby safari hunting camps employ small numbers of village youth and make significant financial contributions to regional villages through a national benefit sharing program. Similarly, the increased presence of ecotourism in the region has helped to boost the local economy.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”8309″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”8308″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]But the increasing number of elephants brings new challenge for farmers—their crops are under almost constant threat of being eaten and destroyed. In villages closest to the national park, these encounters are quite common and, as in Mr. Banda’s case, can sometimes be dangerous.

To address this growing problem, COMACO, in partnership with ZAWA (the Zambian Wildlife Authority) has established regional troops of volunteer “Chiliblasters,” who operate in the model of a volunteer fire department, except instead of fighting fires they fight crop disturbance by elephants.[/vc_column_text][blockquote style=”left_border” font_size=”24px” color=”#9e9e9e”]“What I like about blasting is I’m on the side of the good people, the law-abiding citizens. It’s what I’ve been yearning for all along,” said Maxon Ninconde, an ex-poacher from Chifunda.[/blockquote][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”8313″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]Using a humane technique designed to scare away elephants with an unpleasant sensation, but cause no lasting harm, chiliblasting could be equated to the Western American use of bear spray. “Blasters,” as they’re commonly known, use muzzle-loaded guns to shoot small paper packages of finely ground chili pepper into the air, which explode and irritate the elephant’s breathing. Startled by the noise of the gun, and scared by the burning sensation in their lungs, the elephants flee from the blasting site and will stay clear of that location for several weeks.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1454241148818{padding-top: 10px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Of all the techniques used to deter elephants from robbing fields—solar electric fences, fires, noise—chiliblasting has proven to be most effective. And with the increased incidents of disturbance, there is a near constant need. Often blasters will walk a total of seven kilometers and respond to up to three different calls for help in one evening session.

Chiliblasters are reformed poachers, eager to use their skills in wildlife tracking and marksmanship to serve their community. At dawn each morning and again just before dusk, when crop disturbance is most common, they meet at the nearby ZAWA camp to prepare their muzzle-loaded guns.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Using the same rifles they surrendered when taking the COMACO pledge for conservation, instead of bullets, this time blasters fill the muzzles with chili, gun powder, and a paper stuffing to hold the concoction in place while they navigate rough terrain.

The mechanics of chiliblasting resembles poaching in many ways. It involves stalking the elephants within 30 meters to get a clear shot, reading the signs and behavior of the animal to avoid being charged, and executing a clean shot. In most cases, blasters are accompanied by an armed ZAWA officer, sometimes the same individual who arrested them when they were poachers, who stands guard and could exert force if anything went wrong. But so far, the blasters have never had a serious accident.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”8318″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1454241148818{padding-top: 10px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Being a blaster is a tremendous amount of work for no pay. It pulls farmers away from their own fields to attend to the needs of their neighbors, and often requires walking dozens of kilometers in one day, sometimes in the pouring rain, to reach remote fields. But blasting also offers ex-poachers something more than money, it gives them a way to redeem themselves in the eyes of their communities.

“What I like about blasting is I’m on the side of the good people, the law-abiding citizens. It’s what I’ve been yearning for all along,” said Maxon Ninconde, an ex-poacher from Chifunda.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1454241148818{padding-top: 10px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”8339″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”8340″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1454241148818{padding-top: 10px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”8330″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]ZAWA park ranger, Winard Sengeleti, of the North Luangwa Valley region credits chiliblasting for the big improvement in human wildlife conflict in his region.

“The chiliblasting is proving to be quite good, it ensures that the fields are protected. We really appreciate the effort. We don’t have a massive amount of officers to share our role, so we have to bring in partners like COMACO,” he said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1454241148818{padding-top: 10px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][blockquote]“We are the people who reduce human wildlife conflict. Because of our efforts, there are lower numbers of crop damage. That’s how we’ve managed to become food secure in this area. Without chiliblasting I don’t know what would happen.” [/blockquote][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Although blasters are not paid, COMACO organizes trainings and provides cover-all uniforms and rubber boots to protect them from sharp grasses and snake bites. In the short term, blasters hope they can raise enough funds for headlamps and rain jackets, to protect them during the rainy season. And in the long term they hope that one day local government will see the importance of the work they’re doing and pay them for it.

“We are the people who reduce human wildlife conflict,” said David Aunda, a blaster in Chifunda. “Because of our efforts, there are lower numbers of crop damage. That’s how we’ve managed to become food secure in this area. Without chiliblasting I don’t know what would happen.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”8329″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row]