§ Mr. Corfieldasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements were made in Northern Rhodesia for the preservation of wild animals endangered by the flooding of the Kariba dam.
§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd,pursuant to his hon. Friend's Written reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 3rd March, 1959, Vol. 601, c.24], supplied the following information
The Governor has reported the results of a survey undertaken by the Department of Game and Tsetse Control of Northern Rhodesia.
It is estimated that as the water in the lake rises some 635 islands will be formed, and it is likely that game will be marooned on a majority of these. All but 150 of the islands will eventually become totally submerged, and many of the permanent islands will be too small to support the animals which may be left on them.
An immediate problem is presented by 56 islands now submerging and a further 89 which are likely to be submerged by May of this year. Thereafter, another 195 24W islands are expected to become submerged by May, 1960, and a further 135 by August, 1961.
The islands are spread over an extensive area and they will need to be surveyed individually to ascertain the extent to which they hold game.
The Northern Rhodesian Game Department propose to put in force two game rangers and two European assistants, six game guards and fifteen labourers, equipped with four boats, game nets and "Cap-chur" rescue guns. It is intended to use aircraft to undertake reconnaissance flights. To assist in the immediate problem the game staff training camp is being held at Kariba and one day in three will be spent on rescue work with two boats which are available. Help has also been offered by the Game Preservation and Hunting Association of Northern Rhodesia.
Two-thirds of the islands to be dealt with lie between Kariba and the Kotakota hills some 60 miles upstream, and the stretch includes most of the islands which will submerge before May, 1959. The first camp site has, therefore, been chosen 8 miles from Kariba. Owing to the length of the lake a second main camp will be required half-way to Chipepo, a third near Chipepo and a fourth in the Sinagongwe area.
The policy will be to drive to the mainland the larger animals such as elephants and buffalo, although the numbers of these found to be remaining on the islands is not expected to be many. The smaller species which it is possible to rescue will be transported to the mainland by boat. Animals which are classed as vermin, such as monkeys, baboons and bush pigs, and which it has been policy to destroy in the areas of the north bank in the interests of crop protection, will be shot.
The reconnaissance already carried out has confirmed that the quantity of game on the north bank is very much less than on the Southern Rhodesia islands.
It would be difficult at this stage to predict the degree of success which will be achieved. There may be unforeseen difficulties and on the other hand improved methods have already been evolved in actual operations. The rescue operations are a formidable and 25W hazardous task which will have to continue through this year and next and probably into 1961. The position will become clearer after some months of actual experience.