Mozambique’s Zinave National Park being restocked – AIM report

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Mozambique’s Zinave National Park being restocked – AIM report

9:12 CAT | 06 Oct 2016

Students chant slogans during clashes with the South African police protect at Johannesburg's University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Zinave National Park, in the southern Mozambican province of Inhambane, is to be restocked with 5,000 animals that will be introduced into the park over the next five years, according to a report in Monday’s issue of the independent newssheet “Mediafax”.

Seven elephants, donated by the Maremane Reserve in South Africa, arrived last Thursday. Eight were transported, but one died during the journey.

Moving the elephants cost 300,000 rands (about 22,000 US dollars) which was made available by the South African environmental organization, the Peace Parks Foundation, in partnership with Mozambique’s National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC).

The total cost of restocking Zinave will be about ten million euros (about 11.2 million US dollars), provided by the government and its international partners.

The ANAC general director, Bartolomeu Soto, said that the elephants which arrived on Thursday are the first of 18 to be transported from South Africa. Around a dozen other elephants have wandered in and out of Zinave, from the neighbouring Banhine National Park. Soto said that Zinave has the capacity to accommodate 2,000 elephants.

Other animals to be introduced include zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, buffaloes, impalas, kudos, and other species of antelope.

Wildlife in this area has been devastated by poaching both during and after the war of destabilisation. Soto said that ANAC will do all it can to halt poaching in Zinave. This includes strengthening the capacity of game wardens, and the use of a light aircraft to spot gangs of poachers.

At the same time efforts are under way to raise the awareness of local communities about the importance of preserving wild life. “It is important that the communities understand that the animals represent wealth for them, and we are working on that message”, said Soto.

Source: AIM