Wildlife of Zimbabwe

The wildlife of Zimbabwe is mostly located in remote or rugged terrain in the national parks and private wildlife ranches; it is spread over the landscapes of miombo woodlands and thorny acacia or kopje. The prominent wild fauna members which inhabit this landscape are not only the "Big Five" – buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhino – but also antelopes, zebras and giraffes.

The introduction of the Wildlife Conservation Act of 1960 resulted in checking the loss of wildlife in Zimbabwe, since the 1960s. In the 1990s, it became one of the leading countries in Africa in wildlife conservation and management with a reported income generation US$ 300 million per year from the protected areas of the state, rural community run wildlife management areas and private game ranches and reserves. The Parks and Wildlife Board consisting of 12 members is responsible for this activity and deciding on policy issues under the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Management.

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority under the Board has the onerous task of overseeing the activities related to 10 national parks, nine recreational parks, four botanical gardens, four safari areas, and three sanctuaries. These areas are collectively called the Wildlife Estate which covers an area about 47,000 km2 (18,000 sq mi), which is equivalent to 12.5% of the total land area of the country.

However, reports of National Geographic News indicate a disturbing trend of decimation of wildlife in Zimbabwe as result of “national economic meltdown” leading to overexploitation of the wildlife resources to meet the finances of the nation.