The African Parks Conservation (APC) in collaboration with the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) has restocked Liuwa National Park with two male lions in Kalabo district.
The lions were gotten from the Kafue National Park and were transported to Matamanene woodlands in the Liuwa National Park last Wednesday.
A number of Kalabo residents including Kalabo District Commissioner Mwiya Wanyambe turned up at Maunyamu to view the lions on Wednesday morning before the beasts were transported to Liuwa national park.
African Parks Conservation Park Manager for Liuwa National Park, Craig Reid, said the two lions were restocked in Liuwa to join the only lioness that had remained in the park for the past ten year years.
Mr. Reid said that APC and ZAWA started the restocking programme of animals in Liuwa National Park with 49 Elands in 2007 which was extinction from the park.
He said last year, 16 buffaloes were also taken to the park, noting that this was in a bid to bring back the glory of the Liuwa National Park.
And Kalabo District Commissioner Mwiya Wanyambe has commended the APC and ZAWA for restocking the Liuwa National Park, adding that this was a big move in order to boost tourism in the district.
Mr. Wanyambe however said there was need to improve infrastructure in Liuwa National Park.
He said roads must be improved and new lodges built.
ZANIS
That is very good news indeed.Did you know that the second biggest seasonal migration of wild animals in Africa occurs in the Liuwa National park?There was a lot of consternation and protests when African parks first embarked on this project,but it looks like they are now vindicated.Its the negative press coverage they received i guess.I for one have plans to set up a lodge there on return from abroad.
I thought Zambia auctioned all its wildlife?
Makweti it was not the press that was negative. It was loud mouths like Princess Nakatindi who went on a campaign of vilification. The press only reported what she was mouthing. The same goes for Sakwiba Sikota. There was a lot of talk that ‘our heritage’ was being given away or stolen. Lol, I thought ‘our heritage’ was being poached out. Now look at what these Africa Parks Foundation ‘thieves’ have done since they started managing the park in 2003. Wilderbeest have increased from 15 000 t0 40 0000. Nali or Buffaloe has been reintroduced. There has already been three births. The same goes for Lipofu or Eland, 4 births have been recorded. Elephants and Wilddog probably from Sioma National park are now usually sighted in Liuwa. Roan Antelope is also back.
The gov’t should remove the name “National” in Liuwa Park because this park is now privatised. It is also criminal to remove lions from there natural habitant in KNP to a private park (Liuwa). We all remember when this park was apparently sold for USD$500 million by the corrupt lozi chief and some corrupt elements in gov’t who come from western province supported by the late LPM’s weak leadership on this matter.
Was it not this park that caused villagers living in the park at the time to be displaced in the name of ‘developing’ the park? This project smells of corruption and I wonder why ACC has not acted on this. ACC must stop been selective in the way the organisation handles and investigate corruption cases. ZAWA officials must be arrested for auctioning wildlife to the…
#3 TOUR OPERATOR wa lasa! ACC should first clear the air on this liuwa debacle. Why should even the district commissioner be present at a purely private company event? Do we know the current livelihoods of the evicted villagers? It’s disgusting!!
# 4 . Ba Kokoliko Please keep your ignorance to yourself. Liuwa Plains is a national park. No villagers have been evicted. Africa Parks Foundation is merely managing and restocking the park. They got the management rights in 2003. Animals like Buffalo and Eland were extinct. They have been reintroduced and they have started multiplying. Wilderbeest numbers were 15 0000 in 2003. Todate they number 40 000. So ba Kokoliko stop commenting on things you dont know anything about. No villagers were removed. I come from Liuwa and I know what Iam talking about. The park was neglected by the govt. Now that it is on its way back we have people like you trying to raise irrelevants.
I have been a keen follower of the Liuwa Project even before the tripartite agreement was signed in 2004 between African Parks, the BRE and ZAWA (the organ mandated to oversee all wildlife in Zambia, also representing govt in the agreement). Having said this, # 4 has no beef to back his facts, there is a universal saying “Little knowledge is better than no knowledge at all”, so please get your facts right. We should as a country embrace public-private partnerships, this is the future. Simply put, Liuwa PNP was not bought, there is a lease agreement to manage Liuwa for 20 years and the benefits on the ground are many considering that AP Zambia is approaching 100 employee status and various community development initiatives have been implemented. Please don’t confuse the masses.
Why should we start reintroducing lion in Liuwa? Just before APC took over the Park there was a count that was done and a Report, which, I think was done by IUCN in Mongu, which indicated a Pride of more than 20. What happened to those Lions? Where they sold to SA to raise funds to run the Park? I am not against PPP, but, things should be clear and Open.