PeteG
AH elite
A little news from my side of the world.
FZS has been involved in a big way with the national park and surrounding game management area. They have done a fantastic job and with their support and Craig’s management it is destined to regain its place as a superb wildlife area in the near future.
I’m pasting this off Facebook so I hope it works out right.
**We're delighted to share the following news!**
Nsumbu Tanganyika Conservation Programme has completed its first major wildlife translocation to Nsumbu National Park!
Nsumbu National Park has welcomed 200 buffalos and 48 zebras in a move that represents a historic milestone in the recovery of the Nsumbu Mweru Ecosystem.
NSUMBU NATIONAL PARK, NORTHERN PROVINCE, ZAMBIA (June 28, 2021) – This successful start to the restocking programme of the mega-herbivores was implemented by the Nsumbu Tanganyika Conservation Programme (NTCP) in partnership with the Department of National Parks & Wildlife (DNPW). The fourth and final convoy of animals arrived safely from North Luangwa National Park on Thursday 24th June.
NTCP Programme Manager, Craig Zytkow said that the two-week operation took over two years to plan. “We took our responsibility seriously – from ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare and ethical capture were met, to collaborating with numerous government and community stakeholders, all from inception to final release.
Until now the NTCP has focused on allowing existing animal populations to recover naturally. “This move marks the point where we start to return species that have gone locally extinct, or those that are in numbers too low to recover naturally,” Zytkow explained.
The NTCP was formed in 2017 as a partnership between DNPW and Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS). It is FZS’s second Zambian project – the first being the North Luangwa Conservation Project. The translocation is an example of successful project-to-project collaboration. “It’s a great example of teamwork between our project landscapes,” said Ed Sayer, Country Director at FZS. “And this first large multi-stakeholder operation shows that the partnership between FZS, DNPW and the communities is ready to start working on our longer-term vision, which is to secure the wider Nsumbu ecosystem.”
Nsumbu is known for its extremely rich aquatic biodiversity and endangered Sumbu-Itigi forests. It is also home to an isolated elephant population. The protection of this crucial watershed and wide landscape, through flagship projects such as this buffalo and zebra translocation, is vital in the global fight against climate change. “In a world where wildlife and large landscapes are diminishing, it is critical that intact ecosystems like Nsumbu are balanced and provide the full spectrum of ecosystem functions and biodiversity conservation, for the benefit of people and wildlife alike,” said Zytkow.
Assistant Director of DNPW, Chris Kaoma was present for the final capture and release. “This move will be another step in the right direction towards revitalising Nsumbu. Thank you FZS for the support.”
Community members also welcomed the animals. Nsama Community Resource Board’s Chairperson, Evaristo Mukwavi, was proud to be part of a special piece of Nsumbu history. “This is something that has never happened before. Its historic to me – even as it is to our patron, the senior chief, and the whole community…We will have more young men and women being employed to take care of the animals. And later, these animals will be a source of community income generation.”
Senior Wildlife Ranger of Nsumbu National Park, Thomas Bwalya and his team have worked hard to secure the area for the animals’ arrival. “My officers and I are very excited to receive the buffalos and zebras. And [so is] the community… some of them had never seen a zebra in real life before – only on television. But this week, it has become a reality.”
“This was our first step towards realizing further translocation aspirations. Now we need to monitor these animals’ health and security to ensure that we can continue on our landscape restoration programme together with empowering the surrounding communities – particularly as we ultimately aspire to reintroduce endangered species such as black rhino and lion. We’re delighted to have started the journey and would like to thank DNPW and all our donors, particularly The Wyss Foundation as the primary donor, who together have provided an enabling environment for us to take the first few steps,” said Zytkow.
Photos: Mana Meadows Photography
FZS has been involved in a big way with the national park and surrounding game management area. They have done a fantastic job and with their support and Craig’s management it is destined to regain its place as a superb wildlife area in the near future.
I’m pasting this off Facebook so I hope it works out right.
**We're delighted to share the following news!**
Nsumbu Tanganyika Conservation Programme has completed its first major wildlife translocation to Nsumbu National Park! Nsumbu National Park has welcomed 200 buffalos and 48 zebras in a move that represents a historic milestone in the recovery of the Nsumbu Mweru Ecosystem.
NSUMBU NATIONAL PARK, NORTHERN PROVINCE, ZAMBIA (June 28, 2021) – This successful start to the restocking programme of the mega-herbivores was implemented by the Nsumbu Tanganyika Conservation Programme (NTCP) in partnership with the Department of National Parks & Wildlife (DNPW). The fourth and final convoy of animals arrived safely from North Luangwa National Park on Thursday 24th June.
NTCP Programme Manager, Craig Zytkow said that the two-week operation took over two years to plan. “We took our responsibility seriously – from ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare and ethical capture were met, to collaborating with numerous government and community stakeholders, all from inception to final release.
Until now the NTCP has focused on allowing existing animal populations to recover naturally. “This move marks the point where we start to return species that have gone locally extinct, or those that are in numbers too low to recover naturally,” Zytkow explained.
The NTCP was formed in 2017 as a partnership between DNPW and Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS). It is FZS’s second Zambian project – the first being the North Luangwa Conservation Project. The translocation is an example of successful project-to-project collaboration. “It’s a great example of teamwork between our project landscapes,” said Ed Sayer, Country Director at FZS. “And this first large multi-stakeholder operation shows that the partnership between FZS, DNPW and the communities is ready to start working on our longer-term vision, which is to secure the wider Nsumbu ecosystem.”
Nsumbu is known for its extremely rich aquatic biodiversity and endangered Sumbu-Itigi forests. It is also home to an isolated elephant population. The protection of this crucial watershed and wide landscape, through flagship projects such as this buffalo and zebra translocation, is vital in the global fight against climate change. “In a world where wildlife and large landscapes are diminishing, it is critical that intact ecosystems like Nsumbu are balanced and provide the full spectrum of ecosystem functions and biodiversity conservation, for the benefit of people and wildlife alike,” said Zytkow.
Assistant Director of DNPW, Chris Kaoma was present for the final capture and release. “This move will be another step in the right direction towards revitalising Nsumbu. Thank you FZS for the support.”
Community members also welcomed the animals. Nsama Community Resource Board’s Chairperson, Evaristo Mukwavi, was proud to be part of a special piece of Nsumbu history. “This is something that has never happened before. Its historic to me – even as it is to our patron, the senior chief, and the whole community…We will have more young men and women being employed to take care of the animals. And later, these animals will be a source of community income generation.”
Senior Wildlife Ranger of Nsumbu National Park, Thomas Bwalya and his team have worked hard to secure the area for the animals’ arrival. “My officers and I are very excited to receive the buffalos and zebras. And [so is] the community… some of them had never seen a zebra in real life before – only on television. But this week, it has become a reality.”
“This was our first step towards realizing further translocation aspirations. Now we need to monitor these animals’ health and security to ensure that we can continue on our landscape restoration programme together with empowering the surrounding communities – particularly as we ultimately aspire to reintroduce endangered species such as black rhino and lion. We’re delighted to have started the journey and would like to thank DNPW and all our donors, particularly The Wyss Foundation as the primary donor, who together have provided an enabling environment for us to take the first few steps,” said Zytkow.
Photos: Mana Meadows Photography
