A proposed coal mining project in Zimbabwe’s Hwange Park threatens the endangered black rhino population. ZimParks has urged cancellation of the project, highlighting risks to wildlife survival and population recovery. The initiative could disrupt crucial ecological conditions and groundwater flow, posing a significant risk to local species, including elephants.
A proposed coal mining initiative in Hwange Park, renowned for its exceptional safaris, threatens the endangered black rhino population, as asserted by Zimbabwe’s national parks management authority, ZimParks, on Thursday. ZimParks warned that the mining project represents a significant risk to the Sinamatella Black Rhino Intensive Protection Zone, emphasizing an urgent need for cancellation by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.
ZimParks has a mission to restore at least 30 percent of degraded land, water, and ecosystems by the year 2030. The organization stated that the mining project could exacerbate the risk of extinction for black rhinos and hinder their population recovery. The protected habitat for these rhinos, experiencing population growth, is recognized under international conventions concerning endangered species.
The Chinese firm Sunny Yi Feng has made a proposal to explore coal within a 16,000-hectare region, situated less than eight kilometers from the black rhinos’ protective area. ZimParks voiced concerns that the introduction of mining activities could severely disrupt crucial ecological conditions necessary for the survival and reproduction of wildlife.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies black rhinos as “endangered,” with a noted population of just over 6,400 worldwide as of September, marking a one percent decline attributed to poaching. Additionally, Hwange National Park, housing Africa’s second-largest concentration of elephants at 65,000, could face threats to its groundwater flow, a critical resource for local wildlife due to potential mining activities.
In 2020, the Zimbabwean government had indicated a possible mining ban in nature reserves following concerns raised by another Chinese entity, Tongmao Coal Company, which faced similar circumstances in Hwange National Park.
In conclusion, the proposed coal mining project in Hwange Park poses a serious threat to the endangered black rhino population and local ecosystems. ZimParks has urgently called for its cancellation to protect this critical habitat. With the black rhino population already declining and the park home to numerous other animal species, mining activities could cause irreversible ecological damage. A comprehensive focus on conservation and restoration is paramount to safeguard these species for future generations.
Original Source: punchng.com
