Introduction

In 2019, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority invited African Parks to enter into co-management of Matusadona National Park – the first in Zimbabwe to fall under the African Parks mandate – and a 20-year agreement was signed with the vision to revitalise the park for wildlife and communities. As a result of the partnership, the park is managed through the Matusadona Conservation Trust.

The Matusadona Conservation Trust oversees an expansive area, including the 1,470km² Matusadona National Park and 725km² of the adjacent Lake Kariba Recreational Park. Beyond these boundaries, the Trust extends its influence to over 2,000km² of Nyaminyami Rural District land and Kariba Recreation Park waters. This comprehensive approach aims to create a landscape where conservation, stability, and human-wildlife coexistence can thrive.

Under the Trust’s stewardship, Matusadona National Park has experienced a renaissance in conservation efforts and community engagement. Robust anti-poaching measures and habitat restoration projects safeguard the park’s rich biodiversity and varied ecosystems. The Trust’s impact extends beyond the park’s borders through collaborative programmes with local communities, offering sustainable livelihood options that reduce pressure on natural resources. Simultaneously, education initiatives boost conservation awareness and improve literacy rates in surrounding districts.

This holistic strategy secures the area’s long-term viability as a multifaceted preserve, standing not only as a wildlife sanctuary, but also as a paleontological treasure trove and a site of significant cultural heritage. The neighbouring community wildlife areas and Recreational Park serve as vital, biodiverse lifelines for the region’s people.

By anchoring the Sebungwe Region’s wildlife and wild landscapes while supporting sustainable community development, the Matusadona Conservation Trust is crafting a living legacy. This approach honours both human history and natural diversity, ensuring that Matusadona and its surroundings continue to thrive as a beacon of successful conservation and community partnership in Africa.

Biodiversity Conservation

In its heyday, Matusadona was renowned for hosting the highest density of lion in Africa, while also serving as a vital stronghold for elephant and the Critically Endangered black rhino. Although the park experienced significant losses over the years due to various challenges including poaching, it managed to maintain a diverse array of wildlife that hints at its former glory.

Today, Matusadona is home to a robust population of elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo, alongside typical lakeshore species such as hippo, waterbuck, and impala. Critically endangered white-backed, hooded and white-headed vultures call the park home alongside endangered grey crowned cranes, lappet-faced vultures, steppe and martial eagles, secretary birds, and bateleur eagles. Cheetah and African wild dog pass through the park, while the critically endangered Temminck’s pangolin thrive within the boundary. The Ume and Sanyati rivers are important spawning grounds for indigenous fish species, and the protected waters around the park support the critically endangered Kariba tilapia, the vulnerable longfin tilapia, near threatened mottled eel and African clawless otter.

Under the stewardship of African Parks and Zimbabwe’s National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, the Matusadona Conservation Trust has made the restoration of wildlife populations a top priority. Its ambitious goal is to re-establish the park as Zimbabwe’s premier sanctuary for the black rhino.