Zambezi River Basin

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Threatened Species in Zambezi River Basin countries

Number of species

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Total 1996

Angola

Botswana

Malawi

Total 2000

Mozambique

Namibia

Total 2003

Tanzania

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Sources :IUCN 1996.The IUCN Red List of threatened Species: Summary statisticsfor globally threatened species. Species Survival Commission. IUCN –The World Conservation Union. Gland; IUCN 2003.The IUCN Red List of threatened Species: Summary statistics for globally threatened species. Species Survival Commission. IUCN –TheWorld Conservation Union. Gland; UNEP 2002. Africa Environment Outlook: Past, present and future perspectives. UNEP. Nairobi

1996

2000

2003

Figure 2.9

Wildlife

The Zambezi basin is rich in wildlife, fish, plants, and insects. These are found in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. Many species are endemic to the Zambezi River Basin, including Lake Malawi’s cichlids and the Mt. Mulanje cedar (SADC and SARDC 2008). Despite the abundance of wildlife resources in the basin, there are pressures that threaten the existence of this resource. Species that have become extinct in the basin in recent times include the blue wildebeest in Malawi, the Tsetsebe in Mozambique, and the Kob in Tanzania (SADC and SARDC 2008).

Others face a high risk of extinction, and the number of threatened species across the basin continues to rise. The White (Grass) rhinocerous, Black (Browse) rhinoceros, and the Black Wildebeest are critically close to disappearing altogether, even though decisive conservation action is allowing some populations to revive (SADC and SARDC 2008). The Wattled Crane is endangered in the basin partly due to controlled flooding in the Kafue Flats which has reduced its nesting sites. The population of the lechwe (Kobus lechwe kafuenis) has also fallen in the Kafue due to alteration of their marshy habitat (SADC and SARDC 2008).

South Luangwa National Park, Zambia.

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