Awareness has been raised for people to stop poaching but poaching is on the rise among African countries.  Gonarezhou The Movie 2020, a movie that was inspired by the killings of 300 elephants by poachers using cyanide in 2013.  Sydney Taivavashe created and directed the film as an anti-poaching awareness campaign.  Gonarezhou The Movie won the Best First Feature Narrative at the Pan African Film Festival (PAAF) held in Los Angeles in February 2020.

The movie is a story of a young man named Zulu who lost most due to unfortunate incidents in his life.  Zulu found himself on the cliff when poverty forced him to engage in wildlife poaching. Zulu with the gang became successful in his poaching under the guidance of a notorious businessman.  Zulu fell in love with girl named Thulo while on the other hand the Government is setting up an anti-poaching unit to deal with the rise in poachers.  He is planning an escape plan with his love Thulo, when he is faced with a dilemma to do the last job and to overcome the game rangers swarmed environment.

I have chosen this movie for the theme because Gonarezhou drew up a clear picture of what happen in the jungles of Africa.  It was an action, environmental and romantic film that premiered in Zimbabwe in November after being delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Gonarezhou brings some of the reasons why people engage in the poaching of wildlife. In the movie, Zulu was hit by poverty to the extent that he accepted the offer from the notorious tycoon in a bid to get some money.  Most Zimbabweans find themselves poaching not because they planned to do so but because of desperation in life.  Another important issue that was uncovered by the movie was the corrupt leaders and tycoons that fund the poachers with weapons and money so that they will get the wildlife for the illegal markets.

Game rangers war with poachers is fully unearthed by Gonarezhou the movie.  In the movie when the government declared the war on poachers clearly show that the Zimbabwe through the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority has the responsibility to conserve the wildlife and the environment.  Also not only the government but then population at large has the responsibility to protect the environment and wildlife through education and supporting the authorities in their anti-poaching operations.

The war between the game rangers and poachers is tense as they protect the wildlife from exploitation by the poachers for ivory, skins, beads and horns.  “I know that if we work together, if we unite illegal wildlife tracking will be contained and eventually eliminated”, sergeant’s words in Gonarezhou.  Gonarezhou the movie is available on Netflix.

Covid-19 is real. Stay home and also wear a mask in public to protect yourself and also importantly the life of someone without the mask.

REFERENCES

1. Gonarezhou Movie Trailer (Online) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE5H5cly-kk

2. Online https://www.chronicle.co.zw/gonarezhou-movie-gives-insight-into-poaching/