Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park

Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park is a 35,000 km² peace park that is in the process of being formed. It will link the Limpopo National Park (formerly known as Coutada 16) in Mozambique, Kruger National Park in South Africa, Gonarezhou National Park, Manjinji Pan Sanctuary and Malipati Safari Area in Zimbabwe, as well as the area between Kruger and Gonarezhou, the Sengwe communal land in Zimbabwe and the Makuleke region in South Africa.

The memorandum of understanding for the creation of the peace park was signed on November 10 2000 as the Gaza-Kruger-Gonarezhou Transfrontier Park. In October 2001 the name was changed to the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. By the 5th World Parks Congress held in Durban, South Africa in 2003 the treaty had not been ratified in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Fences between the parks have started to come down allowing the animals to take up their old migratory routes that were blocked before due to political boundaries.

On the October 4 2001 the first 40 (including 3 breeding herds) of a planned 1000 elephants were translocated from the over-populated Kruger National Park to the war-ravaged Limpopo National Park. It would take 2½ years to complete the translocation.

The new Giriyondo Border Post between South Africa and Mozambique has started in March 2004.

There are new plans that should increase the size of the park to 99,800 km² (36,000 sq. mi.).

Fauna

This park comprises a gamut of wildlife including mammals such as African elephant, white rhino, giraffe, blue wildebeest, African leopard, African lion, cheetah, mongoose and spotted hyena.

External links

* http://www.greatlimpopopark.com/
* http://www.peaceparks.org/
* http://www.sanparks.org/