Zinave has come alive since the start of the joint management agreement with Peace Parks Foundation and the Mozambican National Administration for Conservation Areas in early 2016. After years of decline during the long years of civil war from 1977-1992, the sun now rises over a different Zinave National Park, situated as it is, as an integral component of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area.
One of the film-makers Peace Parks often works with, Daviid Swanepoel, has been out and about in Zinave, staying at the tented Tondo Lodge on the banks of the Save River. Running along the north-west of the Province of Inhambane, in the Zinave National Park, the river stands as an important crossing point for animals that cross the region, as the sprawling sandbanks are exposed during the dry season. Riverine forest grows along the banks and levees to the south of the river, with diverse tree species reaching heights up to 20 metres (66 ft). In fact, Zinave is known for its trees, with is hallmark ancient baobab trees seen throughout the landscape.
The Save River attracts numerous bird species and is a haven for hippo and crocodile. But what keeps film-maker, Daviid, returning again and again is the morning mist that rises along the river making the magic hour even more magical.
In the middle of the Zinave National Park, far away from any fencelines, a beautiful 18 600 hectare expanse of wilderness now provides a sanctuary for more than 2 200 translocated animals. Wildlife numbers in this protected environment are booming. So much so, that Peace Parks was able to reintroduce the first predators – a clan of four spotted hyenas – in 2020. Elephants, giraffe and a wide variety of other mammals, big and small, also criss-cross the woodlands and plains of the reserve.
The platforms have now been laid for a thriving tourism economy, boosted by the development of tourism infrastructure and the employment of people from surrounding communities. Thanks to the dedication of Peace Parks Foundation and its Mozambican partners, the future of Zinave shines bright!
