Mozambique: Big cats are back in Zinave National Park
A female and a male leopard have been introduced into Zinave National Park in the Inhambane Province of Mozambique.
The two predators were initially introduced into the 18 600 ha sanctuary established within the National Park, but, as big cats do, they soon ventured further, exploring the surrounding habitat within the greater 408 000 ha protected area. The leopards, which were sourced from Karangani Game Reserve in south-western Mozambique, are the founder animals of what will hopefully become a significant leopard population for the region.
The two leopards are being closely monitored by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and the staff of Zinave National Park as they settle into the National Park. Tracking data seems to indicate (December 2020) that they are doing well and have already begun to establish new territories.
The extensive rewilding efforts in Zinave National Park, which was ravaged during the Mozambique civil war that ended in 1992 and subsequent poaching, form part of a larger restoration and development programme that has been accelerated under a 20-year co-management agreement signed in 2015 between Mozambique's National Administration for Conservation Areas (ANAC) and the Peace Parks Foundation. About 2 300 mammals from 14 species, including 200 elephants in 2018 and a clan of four spotted hyenas in 2020 (they have already produced two cubs!), have been since been introduced into Zinave National Park, with wildlife numbers now flourishing to around 6 500 animals.
A nomad male lion has also been seen in Zinave National Park. According to the Peace Parks Foundation, a camera trap recently (December 2022) captured the first known image of a male lion in the National Park for several (four?) decades. The photographed lion is a young adult male estimated at between 4 to 5 years of age, which has probably settled in the Zinave National Park along with his female companion.
