From Liuwa to Kafue: Zambia’s largest wildlife relocation in decades!

The Zambian Ministry of Tourism (MoT), through the Department of National Parks & Wildlife (DNPW), in partnership with the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) and African Parks Network (APN), has announced one of the largest wildlife translocations in Zambia’s recent history.
In a landmark conservation effort, 1,650 wildebeest and 300 zebras will be moved from Liuwa Plain National Park (LPNP) to the vast Kafue National Park (KNP). This ambitious project aims to restore biodiversity, strengthen ecosystems, and boost conservation-based tourism in one of Zambia’s most iconic wildlife destinations.
Covering 22,400 km² in central-western Zambia, Kafue National Park is part of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, the largest transboundary conservation area in the world. Once home to immense herds of wildlife, Kafue National Park has suffered population declines over the decades. This translocation is the latest in a series of strategic rewilding steps, following the successful reintroduction of the endangered Kafue lechwe in June 2024.
By introducing wildebeest and zebra from Liuwa Plain National Park, conservationists aim to re-establish natural grazing patterns, support predator populations, and restore ecological balance across Kafue National Park's diverse habitats.
Liuwa Plain National Park, spanning 336,000 hectares of Western Zambezian Grasslands, is a proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site with one of Africa’s oldest conservation legacies. Managed by African Parks for more than 20 years, Liuwa Plain National Park is home to Africa’s second-largest wildebeest migration and over 300 bird species.
Thanks to sustained protection and community collaboration, wildlife numbers in Liuwa Plain National Park have flourished - making it a vital source for restoring populations elsewhere in Zambia.
In a reciprocal move, 50 Lichtenstein’s hartebeest - absent from Liuwa Plain National Park for over three decades - will be reintroduced from the Mulobezi Game Management Area. This will help rebuild a balanced herbivore community in Liuwa Plain National Park, enhancing its ecological integrity and tourism appeal.

 

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Zambia: Proflight Zambia announces 2024 flight schedule to Kafue National Park!

Zambian scheduled airline Proflight Zambia has announced its annual scheduled flights to Kafue National Park, the oldest and largest of Zambia's National Parks. Effective 01 June 2024, the airline will connect Kenneth Kaunda International Airpot (LUN) in Lusaka and Chunga Airfield in the Kafue National Park, with a three-times-weekly service on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to run until 31 October 2024.
Positioned near the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and African Parks Headquarters, Chunga Airfield is considered to be the central hub of the Kafue National Park and is centrally positioned to service both the North and the Southern parts of the National Park.
Proflight Zambia's service between Lusaka and Kafue National Park will be operated by ProCharter, Zambia's largest charter operator.

• Lusaka 10:30 > 11:35 Chunga Airfield
• Chunga Airflied 12:15 > 13:20 Lusaka

Kafue National Park is located in the centre of western Zambia. It covers a massive 22 400 km², which makes the National Park one of the largest reserves in the whole of Africa. Kafue National Park is home to 158 mammal species, of which 21 are antelope, 515 bird species, 70 reptile species, 58 species of fish and 36 amphibious species. The National Park is regarded as one of the best places in Africa to find leopard. 

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Zambia: African Parks takes over the management of Kafue National Park!

The Government of Zambia and African Parks, a non-profit conservation organisation that takes on the complete responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in partnership with governments and local communities, have signed a 20 million dollar agreement for the effective management and protection of Kafue National Park. The agreement follows the successful conclusion of a 16-month Priority Support Plan (PSP), initiated in February 2021 by Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and African Parks, to provide technical and financial support for the National Park.
According to African Parks, a total of US$3.6 million was invested into Kafue National Park's infrastructure and operations since the PSP was implemented, including:

• the construction of a new law enforcement centre
• rehabilitation of existing infrastructure at Chunga and Ngoma
• grading of 2000 km of roads
• aerial support to law enforcement operations with both helicopter and fixed wing
• completion of an aerial census for the entire landscape
• the creation of 150 permanent jobs
• US$800 000 in law enforcement salaries, which were reimbursed to the Government of Zambia
  

The new agreement between the Government of Zambia and African Parks provides a full mandate to implement a holistic management plan for Kafue National Park, including a continuation of the work set out in the PSP. Priorities for 2022 include:

• further upgrades of roads to improve visitor access
• development of community facilities and projects
• an upgraded communications network
• operationalisation of the state-of-the-art law enforcement centre.

Kafue National Park, Zambia © Frank Weitzer and African Parks

Kafue National Park is the oldest and largest national park in Zambia, covering an area of about 22,400 km². It is located in in the centre of western Zambia, only a two hours drive from Livingstone. Kafue National Park is home to over 55 different species of mammals including elephants, large predators and 21 species of antelope – the highest diversity of antelope in Africa. Kafue National Park is also designated by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area, with at least 515 bird species recorded. The National Park is named for the Kafue River.
Kafue National Park forms part of the world's largest transfrontier conservation area, the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). It is situated in the Kavango and Zambezi river basins where the borders of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe converge. It spans an area of approximately 520 000 km² and includes 36 proclaimed protected areas such as national parks, game reserves, forest reserves, community conservancies and game/wildlife management areas.

The Government of Zambia first partnered with African Parks in 2003 in Liuwa Plain National Park and subsequently in 2008 in Bangweulu Wetlands. Kafue National Park is the 20th park to join African Parks’ portfolio.

Zambia and African Parks to boost the protection of Kafue National Park!

The Government of Zambia and African Parks, a non-governmental organization (NGO) focused on conservation, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement a Priority Support Plan for the protection and development of Kafue National Park. The Priority Support Plan will increase technical and financial support for the National Park worth US$3 million over a period of 12 months. During the 12 month, African Parks will work with Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) on key priority activities such as  improving critical infrastructure, supporting the DNPW's law enforcement efforts and conducting conservation baseline studies.

Kafue National Park © Frank Weitzer/African Parks

Kafue National Park  is the oldest and largest national park in Zambia, covering an area of about 22,400 km². It is located in in the centre of western Zambia, only a two hours drive from Livingstone. Kafue National Park is home to over 55 different species of mammals including elephants, large predators and 21 species of antelope – the highest diversity of antelope in Africa. Kafue National Park is also designated by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area, with at least 515 bird species recorded. The National Park is named for the Kafue River.
Kafue National Park forms part of the world's largest transfrontier conservation area, the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). It is situated in the Kavango and Zambezi river basins where the borders of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe converge. It spans an area of approximately 520 000 km² and includes 36 proclaimed protected areas such as national parks, game reserves, forest reserves, community conservancies and game/wildlife management areas.

Proflight Zambia to commence schedule flights to Kafue National Park in 2015

update (16 July 2015): Proflight Zambia introduced flights to Kafue National Park on 08 July 2015. The twice-weekly route takes travellers to the heart of the Busanga Plains in just one hour 35 minutes, compared with a drive that can take up to 15 hours. Passengers can also travel to Lufupa Airstrip and Chunga Airstrip in the park by arrangement. Flight P0654 flies from Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka to Busanga Airstrip at 11:15hrs, arriving at 12:50 on Mondays Wednesdays and Saturdays, and returns from Busanga Airstrip at 13:05, arriving back in Lusaka at 14:40 on the same days to enable smooth connections with Emirates and South African Airways flights.

Zambia's only domestic scheduled airline, Proflight Zambia, has announced that it will commence schedule flights to the Kafue National Park serving Chunga Airstrip between 01July 2015 and 31 October 2015. Flights will operate every Mondays, Wednesday, and Saturdays departing Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka at 11:30 hrs and arriving in Chunga Airstrip at 12:45 hrs. The returning flight will leave Chunga Airstrip at 13:05 hrs and arrive at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka at 14:20 hrs.
Kafue National Park, located in the centre of western Zambia, is the largest national park in the country and the second largest park in Africa. It is covering an area of about 22,400 km² and is home to 158 recorded species of mammal.

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