Zimbabwe has approved the translocation of 2 000 wild animals from Save Valley Conservancy in the Lowveld to a park in Mozambique as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen co-operation in the Great Limpopo Transfrontier park.

The animals comprising 300 wildebeests, 200 buffaloes, 200 elands, 50 elephants, 100 giraffes, 900 impala, 200 zebras and 50 kudu would be translocated from Sango Ranch in SVC to Mozambique’s Zinave National Park.

Parks and Wildlife Management Authority acting public relations manager Mr Simukai Nyasha said permits for the movement of the wildlife to Mozambique had already been issued. “As part of strengthening co-operation in the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, the Government of Zimbabwe approved the translocation of wildlife from Sango Ranch in the Save Valley Conservancy to Zinave National Park in Mozambique,” he said.

“Permits for the exportation of live animals from Sango Ranch have already been issued to Zinave National Park of Mozambique. Capturing and translocating live animals to approved, appropriate and acceptable destinations within and outside Zimbabwe are always done in terms of national and international regulations,” he added.

Mr Nyasha said the parks authority was responsible for monitoring translocation of wildlife from private sanctuaries, ranches and conservancies.

Zimparks officials carried technical assessments at both Sango Ranch and Zinave National Park to make sure the exercise met terms of national and international regulations.

“Wildlife translocations in Zimbabwe can be done by any registered landholder with sustainable wildlife populations. Wildlife translocations in Zimbabwe are done primarily for conservation purposes mostly as a way of managing populations,” he said.

Zimbabwe is part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. It is arguably the largest wildlife sanctuary in the world in terms of diversity in both bird and animal life. The park was created after the joining of Zimbabwe’s Gonarezhou National Park, South Africa’s Kruger and Mozambique’s Limpopo National Park.

It is envisaged that the mega-park would become a major rendezvous of tourists in Southern Africa.

Source: Bulawayo