Iona National Park

Iona National Park is situated in the south-west corner of Angola and constitutes the northern tip of the Namib Desert, considered to be the oldest desert in the world. Iona is contiguous with Skeleton Coast National Park in Namibia, creating – in conjunction with the Namib  Partial Reserve to the north – one of the largest transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs) in the world. Together, they cover nearly 50,00 km2, of which Iona National Park spans 15,150 km2. 

Although declared a national park in 1964, the region endured over four decades of conflict, including the independence war (1961-1974) and the Angolan civil war (1975-2002). During this time, rhino and elephant populations were eradicated, infrastructure destroyed and tremendous hardship endured by local communities. With the end of the conflict, local communities began to return to previously undisturbed areas of the park, where viable populations of zebra, oryx and springbok remained, along with remnant populations of cheetah, leopard and brown hyaena. 

Seeking to protect this extraordinary landscape, in December 2019 the Angolan Government partnered with African Parks to review Iona and ensure its long-term ecological, social, and economic sustainability, for both its wildlife and its people. With conservation and optimisation of tourism and other sustainable revenue-generating activities, Iona has the potential to support healthy ecosystems, both terrestrial and at the terrestrial-marine interface, to benefit people along into the future. Plans to restore species previously lost to the landscape have begun with the reintroduction of Angolan giraffe in 2023 and 2024. Although increasing numbers of people and livestock have placed pressure on the ecosystem in recent years, continuous positive community engagement is contributing to successful community integration into sustainable management practices in the park.

Iona Highlights

• In less than five years, with the commitment of the government, Iona is emerging as a leading example of the sustainable coexistence of people and wildlife.
• After decades of local extinction, in 2023 and 2024, Angolan giraffe were reintroduced into the park, creating a founder population and re-establishing the species’ historical presence in the region.
• The first aerial survey since 2019 was completed with 11 wildlife species counted, a crucial step to understanding how park management impacts population numbers over time.
• A Land Use Plan has been established on the basis of positive engagement with and feedback from ten community groups in and around Iona.
• Community work is ongoing, with education and socio-economic projects benefitting local communities around the park, largely made up of the Himba people.

Partners

In late December 2019, African Parks signed a long-term management agreement with the Angola Ministry of Environment (MINAMB) and the National Institute of Biodiversity and Conservation (INBC). The official handover ceremony took place on January 31st, 2020.

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