Farai Mabeza, Senior Staff Writer 
THE Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) in partnership with conservation non-profit organisation, African Parks has successfully translocated 223 zebras to Matusadonha National Park on the shores of Lake Kariba.
According to a joint press statement issued this week by the two entities, the large game translocation is part of a long-term plan by Zimparks to help restore Matusadonha ecologically, bolstering the park as a prime wildlife destination.
“By increasing tourism, Matusadonha can better contribute to Zimbabwe’s growing economy while simultaneously providing a sustainable source of benefits for local communities,” Zimparks and African Parks said.
In November 2019, ZimParks partnered with African Parks to carry out its vision of revitalising Matusadonha as a leading wildlife sanctuary. Together they are implementing management strategies to secure the park and restore wildlife populations, unlocking its ecological, social and economic value and enabling communities to derive long-term benefits.
“We are facing extraordinary challenges given the (Covid-19) pandemic, which has hit Zimbabwe at a time when our economy has been faced with climate shocks associated with drought and Cyclone Idai. “But this translocation is a proactive measure and an important moment for conservation, wildlife, and tourism in our country,” Zimparks director-general, Fulton Mangwanya, said.
“In collaboration with African Parks, we are taking bold measures to invest in the protection of our natural resources, which is one of the most cost-effective ways to mitigate climate change and prevent future pandemics, and importantly to ensure that the people who live around these critically needed wild areas can depend on them now, and long into the future.”
In the 1980s, Matusadonha was home to large populations of zebras. However, a recent aerial survey done in 2020 on the valley floor in the park counted just 36. Although wildlife numbers are expected to increase naturally with enhanced law enforcement and improved park resources, this translocation, and others to come, will enable the national park to rebound and restore ecological functions, such as the recovery of predators, which supports vulture populations amongst others, creating a cascading positive impact on the larger ecosystem.
The zebras were donated by the private conservation area Bubye Valley Conservancy (BVC).
“African Parks has that same proven track record of sound and principled conservation management of conservation areas so we know that we are sending animals to a well-managed and safe environment where they are going to increase and so create another wildlife population that can be used in future to restock other deserving conservation areas when they are in a position to receive, manage and protect that wildlife. We see this move as creating another seed stock population for Zimbabwean wildlife,” BVC director Howard Hunter said.
The translocation was carried out over the course of three weeks, transporting 20-30 animals every two to three days by trucks from Bubye Valley Conservancy. “This translocation showed how together with our government partners and fellow conservation operators in Zimbabwe, we have been able to relocate these incredible animals to even the most inaccessible areas. While the move was not without difficulty, the tenacity and resolve of the teams and partners involved demonstrated what is possible,” Matusadonha park manager Rob Reid said.
Zimbabwe is one of the world’s richest countries in natural resources and wildlife.
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