| Kafue National Park | |
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| Location | Zambia |
| Coordinates | 15°46′S25°55′E / 15.767°S 25.917°E /-15.767; 25.917 |
| Area | 22,400 km2 (8,600 sq mi) |
| Established | 1950s[1] |
| Governing body | Zambia Wildlife Authority |
Kafue National Park is the largestnational park inZambia, covering an area of about 22,400 km2 (similar in size toWales orMassachusetts). It is the second largest national park in Africa[2] and is home to 152 species of mammals.[1] There are also 515 bird species, 70 reptile species, 58 species of fish and 36 amphibious species.[3]
The park is named for theKafue River.[2] It stretches over three provinces:North Western,Central andSouthern. The main access is via theLusaka–Mongu Road fromLusaka toMongu which crosses the park north of its centre. Seasonal dirt roads also link fromKalomo andNamwala in the south and south-east, andKasempa in the north.
The Kafue Game Reserve was created in the early 1920s to combat attrition of wildlife resources.[4] Kafue National Park was established in the 1950s byNorman Carr, an influential British-Rhodesian conservationist.[1] Establishment of the park may have been possible after theBritish colonial government moved the traditional owners of the area, theNkoya people of MweneKabulwebulwe, from their traditional hunting grounds into theMumbwa District to the east in 1924.[4]
In 2021, Nkoya leaders called to establish a new province in the area, which they propose to nameKafue Province.[5] Dissatisfaction with the pace of development in Central Province and a lack of benefit from tourism in the park are some of the reasons for this demand for an 11th province.[6]
In February 2021, a Priority Support Plan was initiated by Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) andAfrican Parks to secure technical and financial support for the park over a 15-month period.[7] Following the success of this procedure, the Zambian government invited African Parks to enter into a 20-year agreement to manage Kafue.[8]
The country is generally flat or gently undulating apart from some small, steepporphyritic granite hills betweenChonga andNgoma and occasionalsandstone andgranite hills around Ngoma rising to 120 m (390 ft).The southwestern part of theHook granite massif underlies the central part of the park, includingschist,gneiss, granite-gneiss and granite. On the edge of the granite massif there are slates,quartzites andlimestones from the Katanga sediments of the innerLufilian Arc.To the north and south of the massif the soil coversKarroo sediments ofshales,siltstones, concreted gravels and various types oflaterite.[9]
In the northern end of the park the flood plains have clay soils, but otherwise the soils are strongly leached sandy toloamy soils with low fertility. In most of the drainage of theNanzila river, and in some of the lands around theNkala,Musa andLwansanza rivers, there are dark greyalkaline clays. Otherwise, the park is covered by well-drained and relatively infertile pale or orangeKalahari sands mixed with some silt and clay.[9]
The main tributaries to the Kafue river in this park are theLufupa andLunga rivers in the north, the Luansanza in the centre and the Musa in the south.[1]
Mean annual rainfall varies from 510 mm (20 in) in the south to more than 1,020 millimetres (40 in) in the north. Dry season is from June-October.[10]The annual mean temperature is 21 °C (70 °F), with a mean maximum from 26 °C (79 °F) in July to 33 °C (91 °F) in October, the hottest month of the year. Winds are mostly light, blowing from the east.[citation needed]
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Most of the park is covered inmiombo woodlands, which are open semi-deciduous forests of trees in the generaBrachystegia,Julbernardia andIsoberlinia, adapted to periodicwildfires. These woodlands have a few smalldambos interspersed among them.[11] Evergreen forests ofteak andmopane occur in the south and centre.
Large termite mounds in the forests host particularevergreen flora, notably the candelabra tree (Euphorbia ingens), and the jackalberry (Diospyros mespiliformis). These mounds can be huge and are hundreds, even thousands, of years old.[1] Large and small open plains are found throughout the park, often dotted with small termite mounds.
The Kafue River eventually flows into the man-madeItezhi-Tezhi Dam, forming a reservoir partially within the park.[1] An importantaquatic plant is the grassVossia cuspidata, which forms free-floating mats in the river.Aeschynomene elaphroxylon is a problematic weed near Lake Itezhi-tezhi.[9]Mimosa pigra, an invasive shrub, is threatening wattled crane areas.[12]
The Busanga Plains in the far north-west are seasonally flooded grasslands along the Lufupa river.[1]
Kafue National Park hosts 21 species ofantelope.[8] This large range of antelope includespuku,sitatunga,red lechwe,blue duiker,yellow-backed duiker,Sharpe's grysbok,oribi,impala,roan antelope,sable antelope andhartebeest.[citation needed]
With around 4,800African bush elephant, herds are commonly seen.[13] Other mammals includeAfrican buffalo,aardvark,pangolin,bushpig,warthog,spring hare andbush baby.[citation needed]
Since 2005, the protected area has been considered alion 'conservation unit', together withSouth Luangwa National Park.[14] There are over 200 lions in the park.[13] The park has the largestcheetah population in Zambia and a healthy population ofAfrican leopards.[13] The park is a stronghold of theAfrican wild dog.[2] Other carnivores includeSelous's mongoose,white-tailed mongoose,marsh mongoose,African civet,honey badger,African clawless otter,spotted-necked otter,serval,caracal andAfrican wild cat.[1]
The Kafue River and its tributaries are home to pods ofhippopotamus and a few of the largestNile crocodiles in southern Africa.[2] There are alsomonitor lizards in the park.[citation needed]
Kafue National Park is designated anImportant Bird Area by BirdLife International.[15] There are over 500 recorded bird species.[1] TheChaplin's barbet, Zambia's onlyendemic bird, is rated as vulnerable by theIUCN.[15] More birds includePel's fishing owl, theblack-cheeked lovebird, theAfrican finfoot,Böhm's bee-eaters,paradise flycatchers, andsunbirds, and numerouskingfisher species.[citation needed]
The Busanga swamps are home to a variety of waterbirds. It is one of the few known breeding sites forwattled cranes.[12] The endangeredGrey crowned crane is also in the park. Additionally there are flocks ofpelicans, many species ofegrets and large gatherings ofAfrican openbill storks. Colonies ofAfrican skimmers are found on sandbars in the main rivers.[1]
The small termite mounds of the grasslands attractsooty chats, and wetter areas of the plains are favoured by therosy-throated longclaw. When the termitealates fly before the rains,pallid harriers,Montagu's harriers,lesser kestrels andEuropean hobby feast on them.[1]The woodlands are home toAfrican hawk-eagles,black-chested snake-eagles,racket-tailed rollers, flocks ofhelmetshrikes, andsooty andArnot's chats.[1]
Commercially important fish species in the area areSarotherodon macrochir,Tilapia andersonii,Coptodon rendalli,T. sparrmanii,Clarias gariepinus,Marcusenius macrolepidotus,Labeo molybdinus andHepsetus odoe. In 1992, kapenta (Limnothrissa miodon) fromLake Tanganyika were introduced into Lake Itezhi-tezhi.[9]
Ngoma in the south is the headquarters of the park, but this area, together with the Nanzhila Plains, is less visited since the Itezhi-Tezhi Dam was built and more lodges were developed in the north. The reservoir cut the north–south track through the park and used to make it necessary to detour outside the park to drive between Ngoma and Chunga. The completion of the spine road once again links the north and south of the park.[citation needed]
Kafue National Park receives extra protection because it is buffered by nine Game Management Areas. Still, poaching and the demand forbushmeat has led to decline in animal numbers.[12]In 2018, a team of sixNGOs worked together to prevent declines due to poaching and habitat degradation.[13] African Parks joined the coalition in 2021, working with theZambia Wildlife Authority. The Priority Support Plan with African Parks and the government led to the creation of over 200 jobs, improved protection measures, and infrastructure investments.[3] Some of the infrastructure improvements were a new law enforcement centre, fixing existing infrastructure at Chunga and Ngoma, and grading roads.[8]In 2021, investment for law enforcement was double the average for 2018–2020.[13]
Ngoma is the only settlement in the southern part of the Kafue National Park inZambia. It is a short way south ofItezhi-Tezhi Dam. Ngoma is the home of the head warden for the southern half of the park, and for around 200game wardens and their families employed by theZambia Wildlife Authority. There is a small information centre about the local wildlife, and in the village is Ngoma Basic School.[citation needed]
Close by, there are many other species of animal, includingpuku,reedbuck,waterbuck,sable androan antelope,eland,hartebeest,wildebeest,kudu,zebra,warthog,lion,serval,wild cat,hyena,jackal and, at night,springhare andporcupine. Birdlife in the village is
