Zambia Launches Historic Wildlife Translocation to Restore Kafue and Liuwa Ecosystems
The Ministry of Tourism has announced one of the largest wildlife translocations in Zambia’s history, in a bold step to restore the ecological balance and biodiversity of two of the country’s most iconic national parks.
In a joint operation led by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), in collaboration with the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) and African Parks Network (APN), 1,650 wildebeest and 300 zebras will be moved from Liuwa Plain National Park to Kafue National Park. The ambitious exercise builds on more than two decades of conservation success in Liuwa and signals renewed focus on rehabilitating Zambia’s protected landscapes.
“This major ecological restoration effort builds on sustained wildlife recovery in Liuwa and follows the successful reintroduction of the endangered Kafue lechwe in 2024,” said Nelly Banda, Principal Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Tourism. “It represents another strategic step toward restoring Kafue’s biodiversity.”
The translocation will be carried out by a team of expert veterinarians, ecologists, and wildlife professionals using science-based methods to minimize animal stress and maximize survival. The operation is not just a one-way effort, 50 Lichtenstein’s hartebeest will be reintroduced to Liuwa from the Mulobezi Game Management Area. These herbivores, missing from Liuwa for over 30 years, are expected to help rebuild the park’s natural balance and boost its tourism value.
Kafue National Park, spanning 22,400 km² in Central-Western Zambia, forms part of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, the world’s largest transboundary wildlife conservation zone. Meanwhile, Liuwa Plain, covering 336,000 hectares of pristine grasslands, hosts Africa’s second-largest wildebeest migration and is a proposed IUCN World Heritage Site.
Ms. Banda noted that this undertaking exemplifies Zambia’s commitment to conservation-led development. “This is more than a relocation. It is a statement of intent, that Zambia is serious about preserving its natural heritage and leveraging conservation as a cornerstone for sustainable tourism and economic growth.”
