Bazaruto

Bazaruto Archipelago is made up of  an extraordinary collection of terrestrial and marine habitats of unique ecological value along Mozambique’s coastline. In 2017, this critical marine sanctuary  became the 13th park and first marine reserve to fall under African Parks’ management, in partnership with the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC). Our shared vision is to see this exquisite coastal ecosystem revitalised as one of the Africa’s leading and most productive marine protected areas.

A remarkable productive seascape that consists of a chain of five picturesque islands, Bazaruto is an important sanctuary for over 2,000 fish species and iconic marine megafauna including numerous species of whales, sharks, rays, dolphins and turtles. The flagship species, however, is the dugong and Bazaruto remarkably contains the last viable population within the Western Indian Ocean. In addition to the rich biodiversity, the Archipelago includes five islands that support a local population of approximately 5,800 people who are entirely dependent on marine resources for survival. With several well-established high-end lodges, the challenge is to position Bazaruto as a well-managed and sustainably thriving tourist destination as well as a safe and productive marine sanctuary where wildlife and people can both benefit.

Through the delivery of effective management and improved law enforcement to counteract unsustainable fishing and resource-use, and conservation-led economic development, Bazaruto will be secured for the for generations to come.

Highlights

• The Bazaruto Archipelago sustains the largest viable refuge population of dugongs in the Western Indian Ocean. This is the only living representative of the once diverse family Dugongidae, after its closest modern relative the Stellar’s sea cow was hunted to extinction in the 18th century.
• The National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) which directs the management of Mozambique's National Parks and Reserves and conservation NGO African Parks signed a 25-year agreement to restore, develop and manage Bazaruto Archipelago National Park.
• The park contains a unique collection of habitats comprising extraordinary marine and terrestrial wilderness, including productive coral reefs, seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, coastal dunes and miombo woodlands. These are refuge to a diversity of key terrestrial and marine species.
• Funding is being provided by several donors who are contributing start-up funds, including the Wyss Foundation who made a significant multi-year challenge grant to African Parks specifically to bring new parks under management.
• This area holds extraordinary potential for nature-based tourism, with its white beaches, warm azure waters, vibrant reefs and remarkable marine and terrestrial wildlife viewing opportunities.