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At Thetford Farm, the centre
of the Group's agricultural interests, a number of hectares have been
made over to a game reserve, where rare species can be protected and
distressed and injured animals brought to safety.
Working closely with the Wildlife Unit of the Department of Vetinerary
Services and The Department of National Parks, the Group is engaged
in four significant conservation projects:
- Maintaining a breeding herd of Roan antelopes of 100% Zimbabwean
gene pool. Indigenous to Africa, the Roan is the second largest
antelope in the world. Naturally poor mothers, they are susceptible
to habitat change and are also easily poached.
- The conservation of a Zimbabwean herd of Sable antelope. The
herd will be used to repopulate other areas in the future.
- The maintenance of Zimbabwe's only buffalo herd which is foot-and-mouth
and bovine TB free. Kept in isolation from cattle, the herd is
available to continue the 1964 Department of Vetinerary Services
Research project into the domestication of the African buffalo.
The benefits of this could be far reaching, as buffalo, not susceptible
to tsetse fly, provide both a source of transport, protein and
milk.
- An outline study for the conservation of the Liechtenstein hartebeest
is underway. The pure Zimbabwean herd is down to 47 animals.
 Roan Antelopes
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