Gonarezhou National Park

Gonarezhou National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)

Buffalo Bend on the Mwenezi River, Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe
Location Chiredzi (District), Zimbabwe.
Area 5,053 km²
Established 1975

Gonarezhou National Park is a National Park located in south-eastern Zimbabwe. It is situated in a relatively remote corner of Masvingo Province, south of Chimanimani along the Mozambique border. The park is a lowveld region of baobabs, scrublands and sandstone cliffs. Owing to its vast size, rugged terrain and its location away from main tourist routes, large tracts of Gonarezhou remain as pristine wilderness.

At 5,053 km² Gonarezhou is the country’s second largest game reserve after Hwange National Park. Gonarezhou is a Shona name meaning "elephant's tusk." It forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Gonarezhou with the Kruger National Park in South Africa and the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique. Animals can move freely between the three sanctuaries.

Contents

Natural history

Gonarezhou National Park is a natural protected area in Zimbabwe along the border with Mozambique. Gona re Zhou National Park is the second largest game preserve in Zimbabwe.[1] Historically the Park has been a habitat for the endangered African Wild Dog, Lycaon pictus; and in 2010 there have been several sightings of wild dogs in the park. It is thought that the best opportunity to restore or preserve the viability of this species in the Park is by ensuring a migration corridor with adjacent national parks[2] in the adjoining countries of South Africa and Mozambique. The Park is part of the international Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.

History

The Gonarezhou National Park was formed in 1975, by uniting former hunting areas and tsetse fly control corridors.

The park was closed to the public during the Rhodesian War and again during much of the Mozambique civil war but was re-opened in 1994.

Accommodation

References

Line notes

  1. ^ Gona re Zhou National Park. 2009
  2. ^ C. Michael Hogan. 2009
  3. ^ "Gonarezhou Bush Camp". http://www.privateguidedsafaris.com/gonarezhou-bush-camp.html. Retrieved 2011-04-04.