Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area (GMTFCA) is a cultural Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA), formerly known as the

Limpopo Limpopo () is the northernmost Provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa. It is named after the Limpopo River, which forms the province's western and northern borders. The term Limpopo is derived from Rivombo (Livombo/Lebombo), a ...

– Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area.

History

Establishment

With the assistance of the Peace Parks Foundation,

De Beers The De Beers Group is a South African–British corporation that specializes in the diamond industry, including mining, exploitation, retail, inscription, grading, trading and industrial diamond manufacturing. The company is active in open-pi ...

, the National Parks Trust and WWF-SA,

SANParks South African National Parks (SANParks) is the body responsible for managing South Africa's national parks. SANParks was formed in 1926, and currently manages 19 parks consisting of , over 3% of the total area of South Africa. Many parks offer ...

consolidated the core area of South Africa's contribution to the proposed TFCA. In July 2003 the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape was proclaimed a UNESCO

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

Mapungubwe National Park Mapungubwe National Park is a national park in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. It forms part of the UNESCO Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape and the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area, abutting on the border with Botswana and Zi ...

was officially opened on 24 September 2004. A memorandum of understanding on the TFCA's establishment was signed on 22 June 2006 and an international coordinator was appointed. On 19 June 2009, the Limpopo/Shashe TFCA was renamed to the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area. In 2012 archaeological discoveries were made on the farm Klein Bolayi, east of Mapungubwe National Park, confirming that the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape extends eastwards or downstream along the Limpopo Valley, and corroborating human habitation in the area for more than 1 500 years. The Greater Mapungubwe trans frontier conservation area, which is presently being developed will cover an area of 4 872 km² in extent with 28% (1 350 km²) being situated in

Botswana Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory part of the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the sou ...

with a further 53% (2 561 km²) situated in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

and the remaining 19% (960 km²) situated in Zimbabwe. The area is of substantial importance for conservation reasons alone. With populations of species such as

elephant Elephants are the largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant ('' Loxodonta africana''), the African forest elephant (''L. cyclotis''), and the Asian elephant ('' Elephas maximus ...

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant cat species in the genus ''Panthera''. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of with a ...

cheetah The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large Felidae, cat and the Fastest animals, fastest land animal. It has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, wit ...

wild dog A free-ranging dog is a dog that is not confined to a yard or house. Free-ranging dogs include street dogs, village dogs, stray dogs, feral dogs, etc., and may be owned or unowned. The global dog population is estimated to be 900 million, of whi ...

; as well as some 19 mammals, 26 plant species and a fair number of bird species listed in the red data book. The added range, protection and combined efforts offered through the establishment of the GMTFCA is strongly contributing to the protection of species found within the area. The dramatic landscapes and contrasts within the GMTFCA make it a very visually and naturally beautiful area of Southern Africa, and adding to this are the cultural heritage sites, that increase the GMTFCA’s potential for drawing large numbers of local and international tourist.

South Africa

South Africa's contribution to the transfrontier conservation area consist of the core area of the

as well as the

Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve , embedded={{Location map , South Africa#South Africa Limpopo , relief=1 , width=300 , coordinates={{coord, 22.3807, S, 29.2907, E, region:ZA-LP, format=dms, display=inline,title, map_caption={{leftlegend, #1e5833, Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserv ...

. Phase two of the project aims to include an additional number of properties including the proposed Limpopo Valley Conservancy, Mapesu Private Game Reserve, the proposed Mogalakwena Game Reserve, the Vhembe Game Reserve as well as a number of smaller private farms. The total proposed area is 256,100 hectares or 53% of the entire Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area.

Botswana

Botswana's contribution to the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area consists of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, comprising 36 freehold properties covering an area of 71,173 ha. In phase two the area is expected to increase in size with the inclusion of the Central Tuli Farms and the proposed Shashe CCA. In addition the area roughly extending from the town of

Mathathane Mathathane is a village in Central District of Botswana. It is located in the eastern tip of Botswana, close to the border with South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmos ...

North to Kobojango and onwards to the Shashe River will also form part of the GMTFCA. In total Botswana's contribution to the TFCA is expected to be 135,000 ha, roughly 28% of the total area of the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area.

Zimbabwe

Sentinel Ranch Sentinel may refer to: Places Mountains * Mount Sentinel, a mountain next to the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana * Sentinel Buttress, a volcanic crag on James Ross Island, Antarctica * Sentinel Dome, a naturally occurring granit ...

, Nottingham Estate and the Tuli Circle Safari Area make up

Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...

's contribution to the GMTFCA. In phase two the Maramani, Machuchuta as well as Hwali Wildlife Management Areas may also be included, extending the size of Zimbabwe's contribution to the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area to 96,000 hectares or roughly 19% of the entire park's area.

References