Historic Wildlife Translocation Underway to Restore Kafue National Park
Lusaka, Zambia – 1 August 2025 – African Parks, in collaboration with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE), has launched a large-scale wildlife translocation in Zambia. Wildebeest and zebra are being moved from Liuwa Plain National Park to Kafue National Park (KNP), marking a significant milestone in the ongoing restoration of this important ecosystem.
This landmark initiative builds on over two decades of successful conservation in Liuwa and follows the reintroduction of the Kafue lechwe to KNP in June 2024. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to restore biodiversity, enhance ecological processes and benefits through thriving wildlife populations.
In a reciprocal move, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, which have been absent from Liuwa for more than 30 years, will be reintroduced to the park from the Mulobezi Game Management Area. This return marks a critical step in the ecological restoration of the Liuwa Plain ecosystem.
In 2021, DNPW invited African Parks to implement a Priority Support Plan, which sought to improve infrastructure, law enforcement, job creation, and education. This laid the foundation for a 20-year management agreement signed in July 2022 between African Parks and the Zambian Government, aimed at securing the long-term future of Kafue.
James Milanzi, African Parks Country Representative for Zambia, said, “This translocation is a hugely exciting development, not only for Kafue National Park, but for the health of the Zambezian ecosystem as a whole. This move has been made after careful due diligence to make sure the habitats can support healthy populations of these animals. Boosting native wildlife numbers will have real ecological, social and financial benefits in the long term, and we are thankful to DNPW and the Barotse Royal Establishment for their support in this historic translocation.
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Notes to Editors
About Kafue National Park
Covering 22,400 km² in central-western Zambia, Kafue National Park is part of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area—the largest transboundary conservation area in the world. Following a successful 15-month Priority Support Plan launched in 2021, African Parks entered into a long-term management partnership with the Zambian Government in 2022. Learn more: Kafue | African Parks
About Liuwa Plain National Park
Spanning 336,000 hectares of Western Zambezian Grasslands, Liuwa Plain is a proposed IUCN World Heritage Site with one of Africa’s oldest conservation legacies. It hosts Africa’s second-largest wildebeest migration and over 300 bird species. Liuwa is also home to approximately 12,000 residents, showcasing a successful model of human-wildlife coexistence. Learn more: Liuwa Plain | African Parks
About the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW)
DNPW is responsible for the protection and sustainable management of Zambia’s wildlife estates, working to enhance biodiversity and improve community livelihoods.
About the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE)
Recognised by the Zambian Government, the BRE plays a key administrative and cultural role in Barotseland. His Majesty Lubosi Imwiko II and the Limulunga Kuta were instrumental in establishing the Liuwa conservation project in 2003 and continue to guide its progress through active representation on the Liuwa Board.
About African Parks
African Parks is a non-profit conservation organisation managing 23 protected areas across 13 countries, covering over 20 million hectares. Working in partnership with governments and communities, African Parks ensures the long-term protection of Africa’s most vital ecosystems. Learn more: www.africanparks.org
Media Contacts:
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Francis Chewe [email protected]