Biodiversity Conservation

The Kafue team’s core focus is on safeguarding all biodiversity and strengthening conservation law enforcement in the park. Our vision is to establish Kafue as a globally significant wildlife sanctuary and a premiere tourism destination, providing healthy ecosystem services and sustainable revenue streams for the Zambian people.

At 22,400 km2 Kafue is Zambia’s largest national park. It is surrounded by nine Game Management Areas (GMAs), which has ensured that the vast wilderness landscape is buffered and has remained largely intact, with a diversity of flora and fauna: 158 mammal, 515 bird, 70 reptile, 58 fish and 36 amphibious species. 

African Parks perform regular surveys and monitoring exercises in Kafue to ensure effective protection of wildlife © African Parks

Annual aerial surveys provide insight into Kafue’s wildlife and help park teams gain a deeper understanding of the conservation needs across the vast landscape. As confirmed by the latest survey, elephant population numbers are increasing, a sign of an increasingly safe environment, while species such as buffalo, puku, sable and hartebeest were recorded in good numbers.

In addition, a number of individuals have been collared – elephant, buffalo, lion, wild dog, cheetah, eland and hyaena – through partnerships with the Zambian Carnivore Programme, Musekese, Game Rangers International, Mushingashi and Panthera. 

One collared bull elephant meandered an astonishing 2,000 km, through the KAZA corridor into Simalaha Community Conservancy in the south and across the Zambezi River to Namibia, before safely returning to Zambia and Kafue a few weeks later, emphasising the critical need for transboundary conservation efforts.

The results of the surveys, together with the collared animal monitoring data, contribute to a baseline against which to measure the progress of ecosystem restoration and help improve conservation measures.

Foot patrol is one of the most effective ways of conservation management methods in Kafue © African Parks

The Conservation Law Enforcement team continues to grow and develop as members of local communities are recruited and undertake the Basic Field Ranger training. This, together with additional specialist training, has yielded excellent results in disrupting and reducing the illegal wildlife trade networks. The Aerial Support Unit assists the team with its helicopter and Light Sport Aircraft used for reaction to events as well as surveillance. Fire management skills and equipment are prioritised to manage this element, which is a significant driver of ecosystem functions in Kafue.

In partnership with the Zambian Government and local communities, and with funding from the Dutch Postcode Lottery Dream Fund, Kafue lechwe (Kobus leche kafuensis) were successfully reintroduced to Kafue National Park in 2024. This semi-aquatic antelope, endemic to the Kafue Flats, had been locally extinct in the park for decades, with its population in decline across its limited range. A total of 401 individuals were introduced to the park — 85 males and 316 females — a good sex ratio for population growth. 

Restoring lechwe benefits both the park and local communities: increasing prey density for predators; enhancing nutrient cycling in aquatic habitats; aiding fire management and boosting tourism around Lake Itezhi-Tezhi.