Non-profit conservation organisation African Parks, headed by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, has signed a 20-year agreement with the Government of Zimbabwe for the management of Matusadona National Park. This is the sixteenth park to fall under the organisation’s management, and the first within Zimbabwe.

Matusadona is a 1,470 sq km area that stretches from the Matusadona mountains down to the shores of Lake Kariba.

It was proclaimed a national park in 1975 but poor management and dwindling financial resources impacted the park’s wildlife. African Parks said: “Limited road networks and manpower left some areas entirely unpatrolled, resulting in rampant poaching that virtually eliminated the Black rhino population and severely reduced the elephant population.”

However, African Parks believes the park has the potential to become Zimbabwe’s premier elephant and Black rhino sanctuary once again.

It said its shared vision with the government was to reposition Matusadona as a leading safari tourism destination offering exceptional game viewing from both land and water, benefiting people and wildlife for generations to come.   

African Parks CEO, Peter Fearnhead, noted that African Parks, in partnership with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority,would implement management strategies to secure Matusadona, restore its wildlife populations, boost tourism and promote socio-economic growth that would enable communities to derive long-term benefits. The organisation also aims to revive Matusadona through a foundation of good governance, and an effective law enforcement strategy to secure the park.

“Zimbabwe has a strong history of conservation excellence, and it is our shared ambition that Matusadona is revitalised as one of southern Africa’s leading protected areas,” said Fearnhead.

The Wyss Foundation, Oak Foundation and Stichting Natura Africae are strategic partners of African Parks and contribute part of the operational support for Matusadona’s management.

African Parks currently manages 16 national parks and protected areas in 10 countries covering over 10.5 million hectares in Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Zambia.