Kruger Park’s translocation project a rare win for nature

As the world is enveloped in chaos and uncertainty, it was a pleasant surprise to see that there are projects, vitally important for both the natural environment and society, continuing as planned in southern Africa. 

In another victory for cross-border conservation, a series of successful wildlife translocations saw 27 zebra and 62 blue wildebeest safely making the 1 250km journey from Kruger National Park in South Africa to Zinave National Park in Mozambique. 

The operation was part of a multi-national programme to restock the 408 000 hectare park, which is now being restored after decades of damage and decline due to human influence and encroachment. 

There is a broader project, supported by the Peace Parks Foundation, to restock and rebuild key parks within the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area. 

There will, no doubt, be critics who carp about the fact that animals from a South African reserve – effectively an asset belonging to the people of South Africa – are being gifted to a neighbour and that the operation itself cost significant money. 

That ignores the reality that, as a successful nation when it comes to conservation, South Africa has an obligation to help others and build bio-diversity across a broad swathe of our region.