Bangweulu totals 6,000 KM2 and has been an African Parks project since 2008. Bangweulu means "where water meets the sky", an apt description for one of the most extraordinary wetlands in all of Africa. Bangweulu is a community owned protected wetland system in north-eastern Zambia. Comprising of a unique richness in floral and faunal diversity, 689 bird species inhabit its wilderness, including the rare and prehistoric looking shoebill. Build on a system in which locale pole retain rights for sustainable harvesting of natural resources, the wetlands is unique in its co-governance, and is positioned to become a leading example of community-driven conservation.
The stats....
- 689 bird species;
- Designated an Important Bird Area;
- Education outreach to 10 schools per year.
- The park is one of the largest employers in the region, and through a Community Development Fund has supported medical and school facilities;
- Communities are benefitting from improved fishing yields after a fishing ban was implemented over the spawning season to allow fish stocks to recover over time;
- Anti-poaching measures have seen the recovery of black lechwe by more than 45% in three years, as well as sitatunga and shoebill populations.
- Expand the Shoebill Guard Programme, which has successfully employed local fishermen to monitor the safety of shoebill nests;
- Focus on the reintroduction of species that once flourished in the park;
- Provide further assistance to livelihood projects, such as training in bee-keeping practices, to boost community income generated through honey production.
Bangweulu Wetlands
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