A storm of grief and fury has engulfed Zimbabwe’s conservation circles after a 22-year-old black rhino named Gomo was brutally gunned down by poachers at Imire Conservancy in Marondera.
The killing has reignited calls for urgent action to protect the country’s dwindling population of endangered wildlife.
The majestic Gomo was slaughtered for his horn, a grim reminder of the ongoing poaching crisis driven by international demand and bogus claims of medicinal properties.
Reilly Travers, a conservationist at Imire Rhino and Wildlife Conservation, spoke through visible anguish following the devastating incident.
“Imire’s soul has just been ripped from within. We have just had one of our beloved Rhino shot today. He was brutally massacred by poachers for greed.
“Gomo was the backbone of black rhino conservation on Imire.
“He has given so much to Imire, its people, its community, to the children of Zimbabwe.
“People have had the most incredible experiences with this Rhino and today we mourn the death of this rhino,” Travers said.
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Black rhinos are listed as critically endangered, and Zimbabwe’s conservationists fear Gomo’s death could further embolden poaching syndicates unless decisive interventions are made.
Travers urged the public to step up and help protect what little wildlife remains.
“We are going to stand together and fight for what is right because if we don’t, we won’t have these species on this planet.
“Everyday we are losing this battle, so my plea to you, let us stand together, unite, educate, inspire to protect what we have remaining.
“We only have got islands, little pockets of wildlife left in Africa and it is up to us to protect them.”
Opposition politician and activist Fadzayi Mahere also weighed in, demanding a full police investigation into the killing.
“Hopefully, those responsible for this egregious, criminal act will be held accountable by police.
“Rhinos are an endangered species so all hands must be on deck to ensure they’re preserved at all costs.
“Where is the Minister of Environment? What steps will be taken to investigate? Does the government even care or is it complicit?” Mahere posted on her official X account.
Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com, wildlife conservationist Ignatious Kudakwashe Maeresa, Executive Director of Earth Co-Existence Initiative (ECI), said the country had suffered a dual blow both ecological and economic.
“It is disheartening considering that there are a lot of efforts invested in protecting and conserving rhinos.
“As a country, we have not only lost just in terms of monetary value only, but we have also lost in terms of ecological value as well.
“Rhinos are also identified as keystones species, which means they bring a lot of value to an environment where they will be habiting,” Maeresa said.
This tragedy unfolds amid rising concerns about other threats to rhino habitats, including a controversial coal mining proposal by Chinese firm Sunny Ye Feng in Sinamatella, a region within Hwange National Park home to some of Zimbabwe’s remaining black rhinos.
As the nation mourns Gomo, the call to protect Zimbabwe’s wildlife grows louder.
Conservationists warn that unless serious measures are taken, these iconic giants may soon disappear forever.
