The Limpopo National Park ( pt, Parque Nacional do Limpopo) was born when the status of Coutada 16 Wildlife Utilisation Area in
Gaza Province
Gaza is a province of Mozambique. It has an area of 75,709 km2 and a population of 1,422,460 (2017 census), which is the least populous of all the provinces of Mozambique.
Xai-Xai is the capital of the province. Inhambane Province is to t ...
,
Mozambique
Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...
, was changed from a hunting concession to a protected area.
It forms part of the
Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park
Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park is a 35,000 km² peace park that is in the process of being formed. It will link the Limpopo National Park (formerly known as Coutada 16) in Mozambique, Kruger National Park in South Africa, Gonarezhou Natio ...
with the
Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park is a South African National Park and one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends from north to south and from ea ...
in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
and the
Gonarezhou National Park
Gonarezhou National Park is a national park located in southeastern Zimbabwe. It is situated in a relatively remote corner of Masvingo Province, south of Chimanimani along the Mozambique border. Owing to its vast size, rugged terrain and its loc ...
in
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and ...
.
Geography
Administratively, the park is split between
Chicualacuala District
Chicualacuala District (Portuguese: Distrito de Chicualacuala) is a district of Gaza Province in south-western Mozambique. It has a population of 41,638 (2011) and covers . The population density of Chicualacuala District 2.1 residents per square ...
(),
Massingir District
Massingir District is a district of Gaza Province in southwestern Mozambique. The administrative center of the district is in Massingir. The district is located in the west of the province, and borders with Chicualacuala District in the north, M ...
(), and
Mabalane District
Mabalane District is a district of Gaza Province in south-western Mozambique. The administrative center of the district is Mabalane. The district is located at the center of the province, and borders with Chicualacuala District in the north, Chig ...
().
The park is part of the
Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park
Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park is a 35,000 km² peace park that is in the process of being formed. It will link the Limpopo National Park (formerly known as Coutada 16) in Mozambique, Kruger National Park in South Africa, Gonarezhou Natio ...
, a 35,000 km²
peace park
A transboundary protected area (TBPA) is an ecological protected area that spans boundaries of more than one country or sub-national entity. Such areas are also known as transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs) or peace parks.
TBPAs exist in many ...
that links this park,
Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park is a South African National Park and one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends from north to south and from ea ...
in South Africa,
Gonarezhou National Park
Gonarezhou National Park is a national park located in southeastern Zimbabwe. It is situated in a relatively remote corner of Masvingo Province, south of Chimanimani along the Mozambique border. Owing to its vast size, rugged terrain and its loc ...
,
Manjinji Pan Sanctuary and
Malipati Safari Area in Zimbabwe, as well as the area between Kruger and Gonarezhou, the Sengwe communal land in Zimbabwe and the Makuleke region in South Africa.
Wildlife
This park is home to mammalian species including
elephant
Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantida ...
,
lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus '' Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adu ...
,
Cape wild dog
The African wild dog (''Lycaon pictus''), also called the painted dog or Cape hunting dog, is a wild canine which is a native species to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest wild canine in Africa, and the only extant member of the genus '' L ...
,
leopard
The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant species in the genus '' Panthera'', a member of the cat family, Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, ...
,
rhinoceros
A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct specie ...
,
blue wildebeest
The blue wildebeest (''Connochaetes taurinus''), also called the common wildebeest, white-bearded gnu or brindled gnu, is a large antelope and one of the two species of wildebeest. It is placed in the genus '' Connochaetes'' and family Bovidae, a ...
,
spotted hyena
The spotted hyena (''Crocuta crocuta''), also known as the laughing hyena, is a hyena species, currently classed as the sole extant member of the genus ''Crocuta'', native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is listed as being of least concern by the IUC ...
,
Cape buffalo,
mongoose
A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family is currently split into two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to so ...
,
kudu,
giraffe
The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus ''Giraffa''. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes were thought to be one species, '' Giraffa camelopardal ...
,
zebra
Zebras (, ) (subgenus ''Hippotigris'') are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: the Grévy's zebra (''Equus grevyi''), plains zebra (''E. quagga''), and the mountain zebra (''E. zebr ...
,
oribi
The oribi (; ''Ourebia ourebi'') is a small antelope found in eastern, southern and western Africa. The sole member of its genus, it was described by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1783. While this is the only ...
, and
hippopotamus
The hippopotamus ( ; : hippopotamuses or hippopotami; ''Hippopotamus amphibius''), also called the hippo, common hippopotamus, or river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two exta ...
.
History
With the help of R42 million donated by Germany the new park is being developed with fencing and anti-poaching units. The park is divided up into three separate zones of use: a tourist zone, a wilderness zone, and a resource utilization zone (hunting). In the south is the
Massingir Dam and the town of
Massingir in
Massingir District
Massingir District is a district of Gaza Province in southwestern Mozambique. The administrative center of the district is in Massingir. The district is located in the west of the province, and borders with Chicualacuala District in the north, M ...
, which is the administrative headquarters of the new park, while on the northern border is the
Limpopo River
The Limpopo River rises in South Africa and flows generally eastward through Mozambique to the Indian Ocean. The term Limpopo is derived from Rivombo (Livombo/Lebombo), a group of Tsonga settlers led by Hosi Rivombo who settled in the mountain ...
.
In 2001 the translocation of a large number of animals from the Kruger National Park to new park had got underway. Work on the new Giriyondo Border Post between South Africa and Mozambique has started in March 2004.
* Park headquarters and staff housing were built;
* The first tourism facilities were opened in September 2005 and include the Machampane tented camp, Machampane wilderness trail, Shingwedzi 4×4 eco-trail, Aguia Pesqueira campsite, Massingir hiking trail and Campismo Albufeira
* Phase two of tourism development in the park began in the early part of 2008. This entails developing concessions in the Boala and Madonse areas as well as a further concession at Massingir;
See also
*
Protected areas of Mozambique
Protected areas in Mozambique are known as conservation areas, and are currently grouped into national parks, national reserves, forest reserves, wildlife utilisation areas (''coutadas''), community conservation areas, and private game farms ('' ...
References
External links
Official Web site* http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090520140254/http%3A//www.actf.gov.mz/parque_limpopo.html
{{authority control
National parks of Mozambique
Limpopo River
Geography of Gaza Province
Tourist attractions in Gaza Province
Zambezian and mopane woodlands