Liuwa Plain National Park, Zambia

Achievements

When African Parks started work in Liuwa in 2003, the park's natural resources were being exploited sustainably. Both subsistence hunting and commercial poaching posed considerable problems. Species which had been present in large numbers prior to the 1970s, including lechwe, eland, roan antelope, buffalo and Lichtenstein's hartebeest, were either extinct or very low in number.

10 years on, poaching has almost been eradicated and the wildebeest population has grown from 15,000 to 47,000. Liuwa is also home to returning populations of wild dog and cheetah that are flourishing due to the increased protection offered. Numbers of all wildlife species are increasing and the lion population of Liuwa, reduced to one lone lioness in 2003, now seems secure at three. The surviving male has teamed up with the two lionesses, mating with them both and by the end of 2012, there was a functioning, albeit small, pride of lions in Liuwa.

Liuwa Plain now boasts an operational airstrip certified by Zambia’s Directorate of Civil Aviation, which enables visitors to land in the midst of the park within easy reach of Matamanene Bushcamp. During 2012, Matamanene Bushcamp was upgraded and now offers five en-suite safari tents, solar geysers for each tent and renovated sewage systems.

As part of the effort to enhance law enforcement standards, Liuwa initiated a staff transfer programme in 2012 where selected scouts were exchanged with those from other Zambian national parks. This enabled scouts to expand their knowledge and skills through exposure to different environments and challenges.

As a result of effective law enforcement efforts, 59 arrests were made in 2012 resulting in 47 convictions with 12 judgments pending. A total of 17 firearms were recovered – 11 during field patrols and six through the park’s firearm amnesty programme.

The buffalo introduced a few years ago were not thriving in the enclosure where they were being kept at night to prevent predation. The decision was taken to release them so they could be free roaming, however as the herd was too small to withstand predation, it was decided to introduce additional buffalo to supplement the herd. Eight buffalo, all females of reproductive age, were released in the park in October 2012 and bonded well with the existing herd. Together with the calves that were born during the year, the buffalo herd now numbers 53 individuals.

Fifty wildebeest were collared in order to study their movements, habitat use and survival rates in the park as part of a long-term monitoring programme. The goal is to understand the pressures on this important prey species and to gauge their ability to recover.

On the community front, all ten school pupils supported by the park’s scholarship programme finished Grade 12 successfully in 2012, with one pupil receiving four distinctions. An additional ten students across the national park were selected for scholarships to attend Grade 10 in Kalabo. As part of the development of social service development nodes around the park, a new teacher’s house was built at Mishulundu School.

A record 781 tourists visited the park for an average stay of 3.2 days (a year on year increase of 83%) whilst gross tourism revenue was US$88,000. The Liuwa Community Development Board received US$15,000 in revenue which was generated by the community campsites.

Park management concluded an agreement with the BBC for the filming of wild dogs for the BBC Survival series that will be aired in 2014. This agreement generated gross revenue of US$48,000, which together with the improved tourism revenue enabled Liuwa to achieve total gross revenue of US$136,000 for the year.

African Parks raised €800,000 in soft capital during the year for the construction of a permanent lodge in the park. Tourism operators were invited to submit proposals for the development, operation and marketing of the lodge and by year end final negotiations were taking place with the preferred operator. Construction of the new lodge is expected to start in 2013.