An anti-poaching operation that turned bad
An Italian hunting guide, Claudio Chiarelli, on the right of the picture, and his son Max were shot dead in the Mana Pools National Park in northeastern Zimbabwe. Participating in a joint operation with an anti-poaching unit of the park, they were mistaken for poachers by another unit patrolling the area.
The two Italian citizens naturalized Zimbabweans aged 65 and 28 years old were appreciated in the hunting industry in Zimbabwe. As many individuals living in the country, they used to help anti-poaching activities by providing logistical support to the operations. That day, Sunday, March 13, 2016, they were using their Toyota land cruiser vehicle to help a patrol.
The incident has created many waves in the community to which they belonged, and some questions remain unanswered today.
The General Director of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said that the two Italians were killed by the Rangers from another unit than the one they were accompanying.
What happened
A team of rangers specialized in anti-poaching activities follows for several days a fresh track of poachers. The same day, they hear gunshots in an area frequented by elephants, near the banks of the Zambezi. They go on the track and notice some worrying movements nearby. They hear voices, lie in wait and break into a place where they surprise individuals near a vehicle. They immediately opened fire on the group convinced that they are poachers. It is only after the shooting that they find elements of another anti-poaching unit that actually accompanied the two men killed.
The two rangers responsible of the shots and therefore of the death of the two Italian citizens were arrested by the police and interviewed in order to understand what really happened on this Sunday afternoon, in the heart of the Zimbabwean bush. They are likely to be charged with murder.
The journalists who lead the investigation ensure that the anti-poaching troops in recent months are on red alert because they faced a very big pressure since the death of the lion Cecil, very much publicized, and the elephant massacres that followed.
What are the lessons to be learned?
At this stage of the ongoing investigation, it is very difficult to identify and confirm any explanation of this tragic accident. The fact remains that two hypotheses are being circulated in the areas concerned by this case.First hypothesis, the most likely in my opinion. This is truly an accident, a mistake made by the rangers and this should not surprise anyone. For years I raise awareness about the necessary training of anti-poaching forces of different countries concerned. First, my speech emphasizes on the lack of preparedness of the units, their poor organization, management and operational expertise in the field. The staff should be trained to understand the field realities, of course, the threat that has changed and that is increasingly violent, we agree. But the focus must also be placed on their weapon control and their reactions to the touch.
Unfortunately, this case, if it is obviously an accident, reflects perfectly the lack of control of the staff’ reactions when they are in contact with danger. In our training on handling weapons and firing rules, we insist particularly on one point:
« Be sure of the target and its environment. »
Obviously, this rule was not applied in such a case!
The explanation for this regrettable act lies in the lack of skills and training of rangers, which is what Wildlife Angel denounces since the beginning.
Second hypothesis, more complex to understand but that some people aware of the case believe credible. Claudio Chiarelli and his son were both professional hunters known in the country. Their company used to organize annual tourism and hunting safaris for their European customers. In 2006, there was talk of Mario Chiarelli because he had lost, during a hunting safari, an Italian customer trampled and killed by an elephant. However, since the case of Cecil the lion and the American dentist who benefited from the complicity of his Zimbabwean hunting guide, the relationship between the professional hunting guides and anti-poaching units are a little bit tense. Should we see a case of revenge or settling scores on the ivory war background?
two rangers responsible of the shots and therefore of the death of the two Italian citizens were arrested by the police and interviewed in order to understand what really happened on this Sunday afternoon, in the heart of the Zimbabwean bush. They are likely to be charged with murder.
The journalists who lead the investigation ensure that the anti-poaching troops in recent months are on red alert because they faced a very big pressure since the death of the lion Cecil, very much publicized, and the elephant massacres that followed.
What are the lessons to be learned?
At this stage of the ongoing investigation, it is very difficult to identify and confirm any explanation of this tragic accident. The fact remains that two hypotheses are being circulated in the areas concerned by this case.
First hypothesis, the most likely in my opinion. This is truly an accident, a mistake made by the rangers and this should not surprise anyone. For years I raise awareness about the necessary training of anti-poaching forces of different countries concerned. First, my speech emphasizes on the lack of preparedness of the units, their poor organization, management and operational expertise in the field. The staff should be trained to understand the field realities, of course, the threat that has changed and that is increasingly violent, we agree. But the focus must also be placed on their weapon control and their reactions to the touch.
Unfortunately, this case, if it is obviously an accident, reflects perfectly the lack of control of the staff’ reactions when they are in contact with danger. In our training on handling weapons and firing rules, we insist particularly on one point:
« Be sure of the target and its environment. »
Obviously, this rule was not applied in such a case!
The explanation for this regrettable act lies in the lack of skills and training of rangers, which is what Wildlife Angel denounces since the beginning.
Second hypothesis, more complex to understand but that some people aware of the case believe credible. Claudio Chiarelli and his son were both professional hunters known in the country. Their company used to organize annual tourism and hunting safaris for their European customers. In 2006, there was talk of Mario Chiarelli because he had lost, during a hunting safari, an Italian customer trampled and killed by an elephant. However, since the case of Cecil the lion and the American dentist who benefited from the complicity of his Zimbabwean hunting guide, the relationship between the professional hunting guides and anti-poaching units are a little bit tense. Should we see a case of revenge or settling scores on the ivory war background?
