A Brighter Future for Communities and Wildlife

The Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) is a conservation area on an unprecedented scale. Encompassing 109 million acres and crossing five southern Africa countries—Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe— KAZA is the largest transboundary conservation area in the world.

In August 2011, the presidents of the five countries signed a treaty to promote a culture of peace and shared resources as they strengthen regional economies through wildlife tourism. KAZA aims to improve the livelihoods of the 2.5 million people who live in the Okavango and Zambezi river basin regions of Southern Africa.

WWF supported the development of KAZA and will leverage its extensive expertise to ensure that local communities benefit economically from wildlife on their land, through conservation of animals and their habitats and the creation of a world-class tourism experience.

Forty-four percent of Africa’s total elephant population—an estimated 325,000 elephants—live within the KAZA boundaries. Other wildlife in KAZA include hippos, rhinos, lions, cheetahs and leopards.

KAZA has the potential to address several key issues that impact wildlife populations:

• Poaching - By joining forces, the five countries can more effectively combat international wildlife trade and poaching through information sharing, joint patrols and surveillance, as well as harmonized law enforcement policies.
• Economic and Conservation Resources – Partnering countries can pool their resources to protect the landscape and attract investors to the region, providing an economic boost to the people who live within the conservation area.
• Fences – Thousands of miles of fence are spread across the KAZA landscape impeding the natural and historic movement of elephants and other species. Assisted by increased interest and investment in the region, solutions may be found to reopen corridors allowing for wildlife movement.
• Protection of species – All of this work will go towards increasing wildlife populations and providing them the freedom to roam. Additionally, KAZA will help protect upland forests, critical to river flows and wetlands.

© Martin Harvey / WWF-Canon