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Elita Chikwati Senior Reporter
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has relaxed conditions relating to the hunting of buffaloes by allowing the use of specific bows and arrows as part of efforts to diversify options for professional hunters and boost revenue from the sport.

The bows and arrows, however, need approval from the relevant authorities.

Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo confirmed the development, saying hunters were now allowed to use specific types of bows and arrows to hunt the buffalo.

“There are specifications for the bow and arrow. These type of bows and arrows kill instantly. Before this, hunters would use big rifles. We have been advocating for this and we welcome the new development,” he said.

Mr Farawo said there are categories of animals used in the hunting and the buffalo was in category A.

Government amended the Parks and Wildlife Act by deletion of the buffalo in part A and insertion of part that gives specifics of bows used for hunting.

Environment, Tourism and Hospitality industry through the Statutory Instrument 114 of 2019, Parks and Wild Life (General) (Amendment) Regulations, 2019, (No.6) published in the Government gazette of May 17 notified of the amendments.

“It is hereby notified that the Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry has, in terms of section 129 of the Parks and Wild Life Act [Chapter 20:14] made the following regulations:-

“These regulations may be cited as the Parks (general) Amendment regulation 2019, no 6.

The third schedule to the Parks and Wild Life general, published in Statutory Instrument 362 of 1990 hereinafter called the principal regulations is amended by the deletion of ‘buffalo’ in part and by the insertion of a new part.

“Section 53A of the principal regulations is amended in sub section by the insertion of the following- animal specified in Part E of the Third Schedule, shall use a modern compound bow or traditional bow.

“Arrows should be on modern construction, either aluminium, carbon, graphite or a combination of these with a weight of not less than 600 grains, including the broadhead. Broadheads should be of single bladed construction with two cutting edges and none replaceable blades with a minimum cutting length of 30mm. No mechanical broadheads may be used,” read the statutory instrument.

Mechanical broadheads include all broadheads where blades deploy on impact.

The statutory instrument also directed that hunters going on the bow hunts should be accompanied by a qualified professional hunter with previous bow hunting experience in dangerous game.