Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park

Sketch map of 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 National Park, 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.

History

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The memorandum of understanding for the creation of the peace park was signed on November 10, 2000 as the Gaza-Kruger-Gonarezhou Transfrontier Park. In October 2001 the name was changed to the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. By the 5th World Parks Congress held in Durban, South Africa, in 2003 the treaty had not been ratified in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Fences between the parks have started to come down allowing the animals to take up their old migratory routes that were blocked before due to political boundaries.

On the October 4, 2001 the first 40 (including 3 breeding herds) of a planned 1,000 elephants were translocated from the over-populated Kruger National Park to the war-ravaged Limpopo National Park. It would take 2½ years to complete the translocation.

The new Giriyondo Border Post between South Africa and Mozambique started operating in March 2004.

There are new plans that should increase the size of the park to 99,800 km2 (36,000 sq. mi.)[citation needed].

Park territories

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Fauna

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This park comprises a gamut of wildlife including mammals such as elephant, southern white rhinoceros, giraffe, blue wildebeest, leopard, lion, cheetah, mongoose and spotted hyena.

Since 2005, the protected area is considered a Lion Conservation Unit.[2]

References

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  1. ^ SANParks. "South African National Parks - SANParks - Official Website - Accommodation, Activities, Prices, Reservations".
  2. ^ IUCN Cat Specialist Group (2006). Conservation Strategy for the Lion Panthera leo in Eastern and Southern Africa. IUCN, Pretoria, South Africa.
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22°26′S 31°22′E / 22.433°S 31.367°E / -22.433; 31.367