The Sunday Times reported last week that President Robert Mugabe had ordered that Wildlife Department officials capture pairs of giraffe, zebra, antelope, hyena, monkeys and birds.

Two 18-month-old elephants are already being held in quarantine within the game park.

Zimbabwean authorities defended the action and said that veterinary experts sent to North Korea were satisfied that it was suitably equipped to house and care for the animals.

Vitalis Chadenga, head of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, said that the deal was a "legitimate business trade" with Pyongyang, bearing the cost of capturing and transporting the animals as well as paying for them.

Chadenga said the wildlife was likely to earn Zimbabwe just more than $30000.

Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, said that although the parks authorities argued this was a business deal, his organisation disputed the sanctity of the deal.

"As an organisation, we disagree with the exploitation of animals and we condemn the deal, even if it is now in its execution stage," said Rodrigues.

The conservation body's chairman feared the animals would not survive the long journey.

"The problem is that these animals are being taken from a place as hot as Hwange and are being taken to a place in the northern hemisphere where it is very cold. They will surely not survive those conditions," Rodrigues said.

By The Times (SA)