Below: Archie Fraser – a conservation visionary. Dale Kenmuir Right: Ian Nyschens – elephant hunter extraordinaire – he hunted in odd attire; it is recorded, on occasions he wore nothing more than a loin cloth. Adrian & Odette Lind
Wild Life Conservation Department Badge
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Archie Fraser (82) – Excerpts From a Tribute by Dave Cumming: “I first met Archie nearly forty years ago. He was Director of the Southern Rhodesia Department of Wildlife Conservation... that early meeting and the lasting impression of a very kind, thoughtful and caring man, remained clearly imprinted in my mind ... “After the war he returned to government service and went on to make a major and lasting contribution to conservation in Zimbabwe. Archie’s career and the history of wildlife conservation in this country are inextricably intertwined. In 1952 he was appointed the first Game Officer ... with an office in the annex to Chaplin Building. In later years this tiny room became the National Parks radio room. In 1957, five years after Archie started, his Section became the Game Department responsible for all wildlife matters outside of National Parks. Two years later it became the Department of Wild Life Conservation, with Archie as its Director. There is little doubt that the driving force behind this rapid growth was none other than Archie Fraser ... “There were several significant developments during his tenure as Director. He was closely involved in revising and updating the Game and Fish Preservation Act. The legal and policy framework and technical support to allow game ranching to start in a serious way was put in place. Hunting areas were established to meet the increasing local and international demands for sport hunting. These moves provided a sound basis for the later growth of Zimbabwe’s safari hunting
and tourism industry. His (Annual) reports are gems. I have on many occasions had to refer back to them to extract statistics and other historical information… “Archie was the first to employ trained scientists in the conservation field in this country, and in 1958 he appointed Graham Child (who later became Director of National Parks), Frank Junor and Allan Savory. Before this he had recruited several outstanding wardens, including Barrie Ball who went on to become Chief Warden and with whom Archie maintained an enduring friendship. Archie was also the prime architect of Operation Noah, and it is worth noting that his children regarded him as ‘Noah’… “By 1962 the Federation was coming to an end and the Federal Dept of National Parks returned to the Southern Rhodesia Government. By this time Archie was an Under Secretary in the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and, at the end of 1963, he oversaw the merger of the Departments of National Parks, and of Wild Life Conservation into the present day Dept of National Parks and Wild Life Management… “The crowning achievement of Archie’s professional career is almost certainly the 1975 Parks and Wildlife Act. This masterful piece of legislation, drafted by Archie Fraser and Ronnie Jack with support from the [Parks & Wildlife] Department, has been the cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s leadership and success in conservation … “After retiring from Government ... he was drawn back into active conservation work