Harare, Zimbabwe – 18 May 2023 – ZimParks has signed a historic 25-year agreement to secure a US$50 million partnership to support wildlife conservation in Hwange National Park.
- Historic 25-year, US$50 million boost for Zimbabwe conservation
- The partnership to build a full-service ranger base in the Makona section of the National Park:
- The national park attracts thousands of visitors every year
The agreement builds on the successes of the existing five-year partnership between IFAW and ZimParks, mainly focused on Hwange NP—at 14,651 kilometres² Hwange is Zimbabwe’s largest national park. Jimmiel Mandima, IFAW VP for Global Programmes & Institutional Giving, said:
“The revised agreement begins immediately and commits our partnership to a further 25 years with an expected investment of about US$50M over that time. It’s a vote of confidence in our joint achievements and extends our vital work to secure Hwange NP by significantly increasing IFAW’s investment in wildlife security, conservation, management, community development and tourism development.
Dr. Fulton U. Mangwanya, Director General of ZimParks, expressed his excitement about this long-term partnership with IFAW as it sets them for lasting impact to turn around Hwange National Park and its environs to earn back the ‘go to tourism destination’ status where local communities and wildlife thrive together. He said:
“We are excited about this long-term partnership with IFAW as it sets us for lasting impact to turnaround Hwange National Park and its environs to earn back the ‘go to tourism destination’ status where local communities and wildlife thrive together.”
Hwange NP is a key part of the Kavango-Zambezi-Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), forming an integral part of IFAW’s Room to Roam initiative to secure landscapes and maintain connectivity for elephants and other wildlife.
Luckmore Safuli, IFAW’s spokesperson in Zimbabwe, explained that the partnership will benefit both parties, enabling each to learn from the expertise and experiences of the other. He said: “The conservation and investment partnership go one step further by including both IFAW and ZimParks officials on a six-person steering committee—three from each partner—to direct activities.”
The new agreement starts immediately and will be focused on the Main Camp Management Area of Hwange NP, which at 10,765 kilometres² represents 70% of the park.
IFAW first entered its first conservation partnership with ZimParks in late 2019 shortly before COVID 19 struck. IFAW immediately shifted focus to support ranger welfare enabling key staff to remain at their posts with not a single incident of elephant poaching recorded in Hwange NP in the past three years.
Among other activities, the partnership has also built a full-service ranger base in the Makona section of the national park including an operations centre and staff housing for the 25 rangers and their families who will live there permanently to protect the park and wildlife, and to provide a swift response to incidents of human-wildlife conflict in bordering community areas.
Hwange NP is home to over 100 mammal species, including one of Africa’s largest elephant populations, as well as lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, rhinos, buffaloes and zebras. It also boasts over 400 bird species, making it a paradise for birdwatchers.
The park is close to the edge of the Kalahari Desert, a region with little water and very sparse vegetation. The park relies on artificial waterholes to sustain its wildlife during the dry season.
The park attracts thousands of visitors every year who enjoy game drives, walking safaris, camping and lodges. Some of the popular attractions include Ngweshla Pan, Nyamandhlovu Platform, Deteema Dam and Masuma Dam.
The partnership between IFAW and ZimParks aims to enhance the conservation and tourism potential of Hwange NP and contribute to its socio-economic development.
About IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare)
IFAW is a global non-profit helping animal and people thrive together. We are experts and everyday people, working across seas, oceans and in more than 40 countries around the world. We rescue, rehabilitate and release animals, and we restore and protect their natural habitats. The problems we’re up against are urgent and complicated. To solve them, we match fresh thinking with bold action. We partner with local communities, governments, non-governmental organisations and businesses. Together, we pioneer new and innovative ways to help all species flourish.
About Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks)
Tasked with the protection, management and administration of the wildlife of Zimbabwe, ZimParks has a proud history of sound management in conservation. Zimbabwe’s rich biodiversity provides a haven for many species of flora and fauna to survive and thrive. Given the large and expansive resource under our stewardship, this responsibility cannot be achieved in isolation. Our network of protected areas, conservancies and trans-frontier parks ensures that we share the load. In particular, Trans-frontier Conservation Areas promote collaboration with Zimbabwe’s neighbours to curb international wildlife crime, promote tourism and preserve the shared heritage, which itself knows no borders. www.zimparks.org.zw
