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Largest Conservation Area in Africa

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Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area

The wetlands of the Okavango and Zambezi River basins are the meeting point for the five countries involved in this milestone of nature conservation: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The KAZA TCA (Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area) is one of 20 transfrontier parks in the SADC (Southern African Development Community), of which some are in the planning stages and some already exist. The 287,132km² park is 14 times the size of Kruger Park, which is currently the largest national park in South Africa. The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (which is within Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe) includes the Kruger Park.

Included in Kaza are 36 national parks, game reserves, community conservancies and game management areas. The Peace Park includes the Caprivi Strip, Kalahari Desert salt pans, Chobe National Park, Victoria Falls, and the Okavango Delta. Visitors to the park can view the mopane and miombo woodlands, ±3000 plant species and approximately 601 bird species. Of the 601 bird species, 524 species are seen breeding in Kaza. Wildlife to be seen includes buffalo, hippo, lion, sitatunga, puku, lechwe, roan, sable, eland, zebra, wildebeest, wild dog and the spotted hyena. The park will also play host to the largest single population of elephants in Africa; 250,000.

The Peace Park is beneficial to the wildlife, due to the fact that it gives keystone species like elephants the opportunity to migrate freely, which eases the impact on areas like Chobe. The park is valuable to the people living in it, as it will regulate human-animal conflicts. The solution to the conflicts is that there farms and settlements will remain in the park, but sustainable measures will be taken to minimize the impact on the environment. The park is expected to drive tourism into the area, thereby creating job opportunities for the residents of the area. The park is also captivating because five countries are working together to implement common resources sustainably and peacefully.

National Parks and wildlife areas featured in the project include:

Angola:

- Longa-Mavinga Coutadas
- Luiana Partial Game Reserve
- Mukosso Luenge

Botswana:

- Chobe National Park
- Linyati-Savuti
- Moremi Game Reserve
- Okavango Delta National Park

Namibia:

- Bwabwata National Park
- Khadoum National Park
- Mamili National Park
- Mudumu National Park

Zambia:

- Barotseland
- Kafue National Park
- Liuwa Plains
- Mosi-oa-Tunya
- Sioma Ngwezi

Zimbabwe:

- Chizarira
- Hwange National Park
- Kazuma Pan National Park
- Matusadona
- Victoria Falls National Park

The Centre of it all:

Victoria Falls is set to be the centre point of Kaza, while the administration office will be in Caprivi, Namibia. The Kaza website was launched on the 15th of March 2011.
There are talks about establishing a 'uni-visa' in the future, which will allow for freer movement between the countries. Currently, crossing from Zimbabwe/Botswana into Zambia costs R570. To get from Zimbabwe into Botswana, you will pay R137 carbon tax, R57 for three-month third-party insurance, and R23 for a disk. Getting into Zimbabwe will cost you R357; R300 for insurance, and R57 for carbon tax. Driving in and out of Namibia will cost you R180, for a cross-border permit. For Namibia, a visa is also required for non-South Africans.
There are three foundations which are responsible for various aspects of the upkeep of Kaza National Park. The foundations are the Friends of Hwange Trust, World Wide Fund for Nature and the Peace Parks Foundation. Some of the aspects include funding for the Hwange National Park, coming up with solutions for environmental issues, giving prominence to dangers and solutions to climate change and maintaining wildlife assets. Below is a further description of each organisation.

Friends of Hwange

Hwange National Park has been fending for itself ever since the government stopped supporting Zimbabwe's National Park division. The shortage of funding and lack of tourists have cut the number of working borehole pumps and waterholes in the park. As Hwange does not have any natural water sources or perennial rivers, it relies on water-hole pumps to keep the animals alive. There are 40 pumps, and each one needs 16 litres of diesel per day. The Friends of Hwange trust has been accountable for 10 waterholes in Hwange National Park. Their responsibility is to raise subsidies to buy diesel. The finances are also used to repair diesel engines, boreholes and troughs. Getaway readers have been contributing to this trust via donations or monthly stop orders.

World Wide Fund for Nature

The WWF network perseveres to work together within the global structure, in order to solve environmental issues. They aim to protect endangered wildlife, species, habitats and ecosystems. The WWF also has a responsibility to highlight any dangers and possible solutions to climate change. The WWF has to be able to guarantee that natural ecosystems are given a suitable status and are incorporated properly into sustainable development. The fund also needs to cater for people who live in areas that entirely rely on natural resources, by improving their employment opportunities. South African clients need to be knowledgeable about manipulating ethical environmental behaviour in the public and private sectors. From the side of the merchants, they need to be educated about environmental responsibility in their industries. These are all responsibilities that the WWF takes very seriously on an ongoing basis.

Peace Parks Foundation

Nelson Mandela, the late Prince Bernhard of Switzerland and the late conservationist Dr Anton Rupert are the three founding supporters of this foundation. It was established on the 1st of February 1997. A primary grant of R1.2 million was given to the foundation by the Rupert Nature Foundation. Peace Parks are a system of protected areas that bond ecosystems across international borders. They endorse preservation of wildlife resources by building and implementing transfrontier conservation areas. The Elephant Recovery zone in Kaza is currently being built in order to allow elephants to roam between Chobe and Kafue National Park.

Featured Lenses

Some more information for the hungry minds out there:

Information of the Great Victoria Falls: There is a magic to the Victoria Falls and it is no wonder that it's one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. The Falls borders two towns/countries: Victoria Falls Town in Zimbabwe and Livingstone in Zambia.
Also find accommodation and activities to inspire you to visit this amazing place
Chobe National Park in Botswana: Chobe was Botswana's first national park. It is in this national sanctuary that the country's widest variety of wildlife exists and will now become part of the great Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Park.
Kafue National Park in Zambia: Zambia's oldest and largest park is named after the Kafue River. The Kafue National Park encompasses an area of 22,400 square kilometres, making it roughly the size of Wales. A great park to have incorporated into the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Park.
Friends of Hwange: One of the main players to be setting up the park.
World Wide Fund for Nature: The project is very strongly backed and supported by the WWF.
Peace Parks Foundation: The Peace Parks Foundation has proved time after time that cross border conservation areas are possible and great for animals and the tourism in the area.
The official Kaza Park site: More info and the nitty-gritty of KAZA
Getaway magazine: A great Outdoors Magazine that has a real heart for conservation and a passion for the wild.

Peace Parks Foundation

A very interesting, inspiring and uplifting video on the fat, present and future of Peace Parks

Victoria Falls, the heart of the Kaza Park

Guestbook Comments

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ElleDeeEsse Oct 16, 2011 @ 4:50 pm | delete

This is an exciting project - I hadn't heard about it before. Angel blessed and featured on Angels in Paradise

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TravelRod Oct 17, 2011 @ 6:48 am | delete

Thank you for the feature and your wonderful comments! I am very excited about this great conservation project that will open the natural migration paths of many animals throughout the lower regions of Africa.