North Luangwa Conservation Project

North Luangwa became a National Park in 1972 and is as of today a category II IUCN site together with its southern portion. It covers an area of about 4600 square kilometres and is situated entirely on the western side of the Luangwa River upstream of South Luangwa National Park. FZS has supported conservation activities in North Luangwa since 1986, building on the work of Delia and Mark Owens in the region. The programme has led and coordinated an initiative to reintroduce the black rhino that had become extinct in Zambia. The first successful re-introduction of black rhinos in the country, in the North Luangwa National Park, became a national symbol for conservation. Twenty five rhinos were successfully re-introduced in four translocation between 2003 and 2010. Notable species are buffalo, elephant, hippo, zebra, puku, wildebeest, wild dog, impala, greater kudu, eland, waterbuck, black rhinoceros, warthog, leopard, spotted hyena, baboon, vervet monkey and lions. The exceptional resources are large buffalo herds often numbering 1000 in a single herd, numerous lions and hyenas, large hippo populations on the Mwaleshi/Luangwa confluence, and the presence of endemic wildlife species of Cooksons wildebeest and wild dog. Historically Zambia was a major range state for black rhino and in 1980 it was still listed as having the third largest black rhino population. The Luangwa Valley was a stronghold for black rhinos in the 1960’s and it was estimated that the North Luangwa National Park alone harbored up to two thousands animals before the poaching wave of the 1970s-80s. The Park was a designated wilderness area and only a few wildlife scouts were stationed around the Park or entered it to patrol. The park’s wildlife populations were therefore particularly vulnerable and black rhino were decimated. In 1998 black rhino were declared ‘presumed nationally extinct’ in Zambia. This broad-based project involves all aspects of the management of the National Park. Activities are executed in close cooperation with the Zambian Wildlife Authority. The ultimate objective for North Luangwa is the re-establishment of a viable, breeding, free-ranging population of black rhino in order to enhance the conservation status of the species.