Some mysterious mining corporation is just about to destroy a national park in Zambia. Do you care?
Lochinvar National Park is located in the south west of Zambia, it is a 428 square kilometer oasis of floodplains, grasslands and majestic mopane woodlands.
It's not heavily frequented by tourists, as it lies rather far away from the beaten track. It also has a dearth of larger mammals and predators - much because of humans and their penchant for killing said animals. Therefore, the government has awarded prospecting rights to two unnamed mining companies with the goal of issuing mining licenses for the area as the park offers no financial incentive.
Lochinvar, though short on large mammals, offers quite possibly one of sub-saharan africa's best bird viewing experiences. With hundreds of kilometers of nutritious, life-giving waters and plants, it is home to no less than four hundred different bird recorded bird species.
This unbelievable figure has ensured certification of Lochinvar National Park by Ramsar. "The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, called the Ramsar Convention, is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. ".
Lochinvar is also home to the Kafue Lechwe found nowhere else in the world, this species is already on the IUCN Red List - as Vulnerable.
Zambia, a developing company in a the midst of political upheaval, financial turmoil, and under education is right now unable to value this park right now. But what will happen in forty years, when there 400 species of birds no longer have that home. What will happen to the mighty kafue river, when pollutants from mining enter the Zambezi River - africa's second biggest- only to run all the way to the Indian Ocean, affecting some 6 million people and countless animals first?
Gwisho Hot Springs - Lochinvar National Park
RIght now there isn't a huge amount of information - no one in government is revealing who made the applications. Myself, and a few others are leading the fight, we're working with experts in conservation NGOs, and with scouts and managers in the area who will do everything they can to save the park. We need your help, as said by one of Zambia's foremost wildlife conservation organisations: "As much publicity as possible basically, so social media and any writing opportunities you have you can draw attention to it and put pressure on the government of Zambia."
There's also a petition found here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/241/499/001/no-prospecting-or-mining-in-lochinvar-national-park/