Wildlife & Conservation Issues
The floodplain is classed as the Zambezian flooded grasslands ecoregion, and the surrounding woodland savanna is the Central Zambezian Miombo woodlands ecoregion, except on the south-east side which is Zambezian and Mopane woodlands ecoregion. Flooded grasslands are considered to be productive and diverse owing to the nutrients brought by the flood and the fact they provide both grazing and aquatic habitats.
The miombo woodland west of the Kafue River is a game management area stretching as far as Kafue National Park. Lukanga Swamp therefore could be considered a potential extension of that rich wildlife haven.
Lukanga Swamp is home to 316 reported bird species. It supports populations of hippopotamus, and crocodile, and is considered an important site for conservation of lechwe, oribi, marsh mongoose, sitatunga, bushbuck, and python. The western side is visited by elephant, buffalo, eland and roan antelope. In 2000 the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) was reported to be under-resourced in the area and the swamps "are virtually unprotected, and poaching is excessive".
Deforestation for charcoal production and for 'slash and burn' and other types of farming is also reported as a major threat to the Lukanga Swamp ecosystem mainly because it results in erosion of the land, turbidity of the water and siltation. In nearly all areas north-east of the swamp forests have been cleared especially for charcoal production, and land clearing for farming has been extensive on the north-east, east and southern sides of the swamp. Only the western side remains relatively untouched. The development of a tourism industry in the area, which (as has been seen for the national parks) results in greater wildlife conservation efforts, depends on providing access to this part from Mumbwa or Kabwe.
Read more about this topic: Lukanga Swamp
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