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Police are keeping mum about the extradition of Li Song, wanted in connection with the use of poison in the illegal wildlife trade. Zimbabwe’s national police force appears reluctant to pursue Li Song, a Chinese citizen allegedly at the centre of what wildlife activists say is a high-powered poaching network that uses cyanide to kill animals in the country’s game reserves. Li was arrested in 2024 by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) for allegedly importing large quantities of cyanide fraudulently and storing the toxic substance in unsafe locations.

Conservation is under serious threat from mining activities in protected areas countrywide, putting wild animals at risk of extinction, a Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) official has said. Giving oral evidence to the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Parliamentary Portfolio Committee this Monday, ZimParks Corporate Secretary Nyasha Mutyambizi said the Mines ministry continued to accept applications for mining purposes in the restricted areas meant for conservation and tourism.

According to the International Rhino Foundation, the largest population of rhinos in the world is found in South Africa. Only 16 056 rhinos are left in South Africa, but not nearly enough to save the species from endangerment. 'World Rhino Day' is commemorated annually on September 22 to continue to raise awareness about rhino poaching across the globe. Due to ongoing poaching, the number of rhinos continues to get lower. KwaZulu-Natal has the highest number of poaching cases with 145 rhinos poached from January to June this year alone.