The Lower Zambezi National Park
The
Lower Zambezi National Park is situated on the North bank of the Zambezi River
in south eastern Zambia. It covers an area of 4092km2. The park is relatively
new, and as such, almost entirely unspoiled – it boasts stunning scenery and an
abundance of game and birdlife. The park is rich in game with elephant, hippo,
buffalo, zebra, lion, cheetah, leopard and various antelope species amongst
many others.
Purpose of Lower Zambezi National Park
The
Lower Zambezi National Park has four main objectives or purposes which are to
conserve the vast area of natural ecosystems which contains diverse wildlife as
well as to protect cultural resources and sites. It also provides opportunities
for tourism, conservation education and scientific research. It contributes to
the socio-economic well-being of the surrounding local communities and Zambian
people at large.
The
park possesses nationally significant natural or cultural resources making it
appropriate for direct management as a National Park instead of alternative
protection by other land administering agencies or the private sector.
ANIMALS OF THE LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK
Some
of the animals found in the park include;
Carnivores (Meat-eaters)
Lion
The
lion (Panthera leo) is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a
member of the family Felidae. It is the second-largest living cat after the
tiger. Lions are found in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It prefers
grasslands and open woodlands. They consume a wide variety of prey, from
wildebeest, impala, zebra, buffalo and wild hogs to sometimes hippos. They will
also feed on smaller animals such as hares, birds and reptiles. Lions are also
known to attack elephants when food is scarce. An adult lioness requires an
average of about 5 kg of meat per day, a male about 7 kg.
Crocodile
Nile
crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) are found most frequently in coastal lagoons,
estuaries, and in the rivers bordering the equatorial forest belt. Adults are
apex predators and prey upon various birds, reptiles and mammals. Among the
mammals, diet consists of gazelles, antelope, waterbuck, sitatunga, lechwe,
wildebeest, zebra, warthog, young hippos, giraffe, buffalos, young elephants,
cheetah, and even big cats such as leopards and lions.
Leopard
Dense
bush in rocky surroundings and riverine forest are their favourite habitats,
but leopards (Panthera pardus) adapt too many places in both warm and cold
climates. Their adaptability, in fact, has helped them survive the loss of
habitat to increasing human settlement.
The
leopard is one of the most secretive and elusive of the large carnivores. It is
the strongest climber of the large cats and capable of killing prey larger than
itself. They prey on small antelopes, rodents, baboons, monkeys and birds,
being quick and efficient hunters. Leopards, like other cats, spend about two
thirds of their lives sprawled out in relaxed slumber.
Honey Badger
The
honey badger (Mellivora capensis) may be found in almost every type of habitat,
including open plains and forested country (Williams, 1967). They are primarily
carnivorous animals feeding on carrion, small rodents, scorpions, birds,
lizards, tortoises and frogs. They have developed bodies that are somewhat resistant
to snake toxins so they can easily hunt them. They honey badger is also known
to prefer honey hence the name. They also eat fruits and vegetables such as
berries, roots and bulbs.
Herbivores (Plant eaters)
Hippopotamus
Hippos
(Hippopotamus amphibious) are plentiful in Zambia’s many waterways and often
groups of over 60 can be seen in one spot. They are widespread and common in
suitable inland waters and swamps. They inhabit lakes, swamps and rivers with
sufficient water. They are vegetarian animals, feeding mainly at night and
returning to lounge in the water before sunrise. They pluck grass with their
wide lips but are also known to eat the fruit and flowers of the sausage tree.
They consume up to 60kg of grass every night. Hippos will graze about 3 km from
water, although some individuals move farther inland. An individual may walk 10 km to seek food on
land, spending an average of 5-6 hours on land per night.
Warthog
Warthogs
(phacochoerus aethiopicus) inhabit open plains and grasslands, savannah country
and semi-arid grass-bush. The warthog is mainly a grazer and has adapted an
interesting practice of kneeling on its calloused, hairy, padded knees to eat
short grass. Using its snout and tusks, it also digs for bulbs, tubers and
roots during the dry season.
African Elephant
The
African elephant (Loxodonta africana) inhabits forests, savannahs, river
valleys, and marshes. They may be found either in dense forests, mopane and
miombo woodlands. Elephants are herbivores; they eat grasses, bark, roots, leaves,
and fruit. They consume from 200 to 300 kg of food, and up to 150 litres of
water daily. Though they take in that much food their digestive system is not
very efficient and only 40% of this food is properly digested.
Omnivores (meat and plant eaters)
Chacma Baboon
Chacma
baboons (Papio ursinus) live mostly in the woodland savannah and highland
grasslands. They never wander far from trees, or a source of water. Unlike what
you would expect, baboons do not live in trees. They spend most of their time
on the ground. The only time they go into trees is to escape predators, get
food, or spend the night. The Chacma baboon is omnivorous with a preference for
fruits, while also eating insects, seeds, grass and smaller vertebrate animals.
The Chacma baboon is generally a scavenger when it comes to game meat and
rarely engages in hunting large animals.
Birds
Laughing Dove
The
Laughing Dove (Stigmatopelia senegalensis) is a small pigeon which is a
resident breeding bird in the tropics in Africa south of the Sahara. They are
usually found in the in the savannas. The Laughing Dove is mainly a
ground-feeder. They are fairly terrestrial, foraging on the ground in
grasslands and cultivation. Their diet consists chiefly of small seeds and grains.
They occasionally feed on insects and especially favour termites. They rely
heavily on water and therefore will stay close to areas that have an available
water source.
Black and White Hawk Eagle
The
black and white eagle’s (Spizaetus melanoleucus) natural habitat is lowland
forests of any type. The species prefers a diverse habitat of mixed forest and
shrubland. This animal is a carnivore preying on mammals, toads, squamates, and
in particular a wide variety of birds. It prefers tree-living birds but ground
and water birds are also preyed upon.
Helmeted Guinea Fowl
The
helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) inhabits any woodland or about any
cultivation area. They are usually found near water and generally common except
where it has been hunted out locally. They are omnivorous but mainly
granivores. They are beneficial in that they feed mainly on noxious weeds and
insects that are a threat to crops.
Trumpeter Hornbill
The
Trumpeter Hornbill (Bycanistes bucinator) is mainly found in light and densely
wooded forests, where there are Mopane trees. The bird is at home in riverine
forests and close to water bodies such as lakes, dams and streams. The
Trumpeter Hornbill is usually seen hunting for food within the tree foliage.
This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants.
These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten. The
Bycanistes bucinator forages mainly on the ground or at the base of trees, and
low down in the shrubs eating mostly fruits and seeds.
The
animals listed above are just some of the variety of animals found in the Lower
Zambezi National Park. The park has massive tourism potential that can be
exploited with great advertisement.
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