December 2024:  The Zambezi Society’s end of year news for 2024 reports on a useful dialogue session hosted with conservation colleagues to share ideas about what's needed to effectively sustain support for Zambezi Valley conservation into the future.  We highlight some promising developments for the future management of some of the Valley's protected areas, but also many challenges, including some worrying development controversies in and around the Victoria Falls.  We report on our fieldwork assisting ZimParks with vehicle support for anti-poaching deployments and reactions in the Zambezi Valley, and supporting WildCru’s predator survey work in the Sengwa, Chirisa and Chizarira areas. We continue to provide practical solutions to communities in and around Kariba and Mana Pools with Human-Wildlife Co-Existence (HWC), and are expanding our innovative HWC Virtual Reality programme to schoolchildren. We also pay tribute to two dedicated conservation colleagues who lost their lives in tragic circumstances.

Nov 2024: Recent concerns about burgeoning development pressure in and around the Victoria Falls point to a worrying lack of will to co-ordinate the planning for the whole area. The Victoria Falls and their surrounds are not only a local and regional tourism jewel, they are a Natural Wonder and World Heritage Site of priceless intrinsic value to the whole world. They need to be safeguarded through careful zoning and enforcement of boundaries. Several planning processes are underway to ensure this, but the current situation is fraught with complexities. Various players with different ambitions are all competing for a share in what is seen as a lucrative pot of gold. Confusion over zones and boundaries is providing loopholes for controversial new developments and activities to take place within areas which are highly ecologically sensitive. Some of these have already attracted legal opposition. Zimbabweans need to have the courage to prioritise the global intrinsic value of Victoria Falls over its local economic value.

Oct 2024: The formation of trusts and agreements with ZimParks for the co-management of the Matusadona National Park (with African Parks) and, more recently, the Greater Mana Pools Ecosystem (with the Peace Parks Foundation)  represent major positive steps for the future conservation of the Zambezi Valley landscape.

In October 2024, The Zambezi Society convened an interactive dialogue session in Harare to focus on the trends and changes taking place within the Zambezi Valley, and to explore interactively what is needed to effectively sustain conservation support for the area into the future. We provide a summary of what took place at this meeting and list the priorities for action decided upon by those who attended.

Jan - April 2024: The Zambezi Society is focusing and strengthening our efforts to help communities with practical solutions and awareness about Human-Wildlife Co-Existence, along the southern boundary of the Charara Safari Area and within Kariba Town itself. We're printing new awareness materials and plan to extend our Virtual Reality programme in schools to other parts of the Zambezi Valley. We continue to assist ZimParks with anti-poaching around Kariba and in Mana Pools, where the new trans-boundary co-management agreement with the Peace Parks Foundation brings hope for new partnership opportunities. We've also got some more carnivore survey research work lined up with WildCru this year, and we welcome Zambia's decision to withdraw the licence for the controversial Kangaluwi Copper Mine in the Zambezi Valley opposite Mana Pools and Sapi. This is a great win for conservation!

July 2023: We welcome the halt of mining activities at the Zambian Kangaluwi copper mining project opposite the Mana-Sapi-Chewore World Heritage Site and hope that the new Lower Zambezi/Mana Pools Trans-Frontier Conservation agreement will strengthen efforts to combat such threats. We report on our community work, carnivore research, and ongoing support for Zimparks (ranger deployments, food supplies and refurbishments at Marongora School).

On 19 May 2023, The Zambezi Society filed a formal objection to an application by Shalom Mining Corporation (Pvt Ltd) to prospect for petrolium oil and gas within a large area of the Hurungwe Safari Area in the Zambezi Valley adjacent to the Mana Pools National Park.

Jan-Feb 2023: Our first quarterly news for the start of 2023 reports on our strengthened Codes of Conduct for Mana Pools, our anti-poaching assistance to ZimParks, and our help for communities adjacent to Charara to safeguarding livestock against predator attacks. But we are sad to report the loss of two more highly respected conservation colleagues.

January 2023: Recent reports and images indicate that the controversial Kangaluwi open-cast copper mine in Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park, opposite Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools/Sapi/Chewore World Heritage Site, has begun development, with potentially damaging downstream impacts on biodiversity, conservation and the fishing and tourism industries of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

May 2022: Community stakeholders in Victoria Falls are deeply concerned that the essential natural elements that make this one of the 7 Wonders of the World could be lost if a recent rush of tourism developments proposed within the protected areas of the Falls and its surrounds are allowed to go ahead.

March 2022: As part of The Zambezi Society’s ongoing Historical Series, to celebrate 40 years of Zambezi conservation, we focus on our work to promote and conserve the Zambezi's priceless wilderness values

Nov 2021: As part of The Zambezi Society’s ongoing Historical Series, to celebrate 40 years of Zambezi Valley conservation, we focus on the essential ADVOCACY role that has underpinned our work for the past four decades.

Oct 2021: As part of The Zambezi Society’s ongoing series to celebrate 40 years of Zambezi Valley conservation, we highlight Zamsoc’s role in launching the Rhino Survival Campaign - an emergency fund-raising response to the escalating rhinoceros poaching crisis in the 1980s.

Oct 2021: A summary of Zamsoc’s busy fieldwork season, our upcoming focus on Human Wildlife Co-existence, the launch of a Zamsoc gift page on Amazon.com for gifting items to assist anti-poaching rangers - and lots more.

Sept 2021: Our historical series, celebrating 40 years of Zambezi Valley conservation, features Zimbabwe’s successful application to UNESCO for World Heritage Site status for the Mana Pools/Sapi/Chewore area – inscribed in 1984.

July 2021: As a lead-up to The Zambezi Society’s 40th anniversary in 2022, we introduce a series of historical features highlighting significant events and conservation achievements that we're proud of, spanning the four decades since the Society's formation in 1982.

July 2021: Mid-year news and updates from the Zambezi Society as we continue field operations in Mana Pools and the Charara Safari Area, support Zambia in a fight against mining, and gear up to celebrate our 40th anniversary in 2022.

April 2021: A summary of Zambezi Society activities and operations in the first quarter of 2021; issues of conservation concern, stories of support from the international community and a big shout out to our Operations Team.

March 2021: The Zambezi Society is worried about the impacts of mining activities on the habitat and wildlife of the Zambezi’s tributary rivers. One “de-siltation” project in the Angwa River which borders the Chewore Safari Area is of particular concern.

The Zambezi Society assisted Zimbabwe’s National Man and Biosphere (MAB) Committee to successfully complete and submit Zimbabwe’s first 10-year Periodic Review of the Middle Zambezi Biosphere Reserve, designated in 2010 by UNESCO under its Man and Biosphere Programme.

A survey of motorised boating for leisure/fishing/transfers on the Zambezi River in Mana Pools National Park is being conducted by ZimParks for response by 31st December 2020! PLEASE HELP THE ZAMBEZI SOCIETY TO ADD WEIGHT TO OUR PROPOSED RESPONSE, by reading our information and completing the survey.