Conservation Areas in Mozambique

Great things will be required of the region's conservation efforts if Mozambique is to recover from the rapid and drastic depletion of its wildlife that followed the 14-year long civil war. Fortunately, these seem to be forthcoming.

Transfrontier Conservation Areas
 

An example of the above is the inception of Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) or Peace Parks. These conservation areas span national boundaries, whose physical fences are removed to allow the natural migration patterns of animals within the protected areas. The peace parks are intended primarily to conserve ecological heritage but also to encourage tourism, sustainable economic development, and goodwill between neighbouring countries.
 

There are two major peace parks in Mozambique. The Lubombo TFCA spans an area of 4,195 km2, two-thirds of which is in Mozambique, a quarter in South Africa and 8% in Swaziland. Occupying the coastal plain between the Lebombo mountains and the Indian ocean, the unique Lubombo TFCA contains a great diversity of wildlife-viewing biomes including a pristine and beautiful coastal area.

The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park links Mozambique's Limpopo National Park (formerly Coutada 16), South Africa's Kruger National Park, and three Zimbabwean conservation areas to form a protected area of 35,000 km2. The relocation of some 1000 elephants from the overcrowded Kruger to the Limpopo National Park began in 2001, and in March 2004 a plan was executed that should increase the size of the peace park to all of 99,800 km2.

Foreign Assistance

Mozambican conservation received a great boost in late 2005 when the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility, and the government of Japan indicated they would grant a total of $33.7 million to support conservation efforts in Mozambique. In addition, the World Bank Board of Directors approved a $20 million grant for conservation and the promotion of sustainable economic growth in the country.