The Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve is located in the southern corner of Zimbabwe bordering the Gonarezhou National Park. It is home to Singita Pamushana Lodge, which surrounded by reserve is managed by the Malilangwe Trust (see additional info for more details on the Trust).
The reserve is dissected east to west by a range of rugged sandstone hills, within which over 80 ancient rock painting sites have been discovered. The Chiredzi River runs the length of the property from north to south, the perennial flows supporting some impressive riverine forest and eventually feeding into the Runde River.
The reserve is now rich in wildlife. Healthy populations of endangered black and white rhino, one of the largest populations in Zimbabwe can be found here and other predators, including lion, cheetah, leopard, hyena and wild dog, keep the abundant herbivore population in check. Of these, giraffe, zebra, impala, wildebeest, sable antelope and Lichtenstein’s hartebeest abound. The Malilangwe dam, situated below the Singita Pamushana Lodge, is home to several fish species, including the famous Tiger Fish, as well as hosting healthy populations of hippo, crocodile and water birds. During the summer months, elephant breeding herds regularly enjoy leisurely swims at the top end of the dam. The basalt flats in the south of the property offer nutritious grazing for the herbivore population, with herds of 500 buffalo not an uncommon sight in the dry season.
Conservation:
1. Internal actions come in a variety of forms. The reserve takes a scientific approach to conservation that is underpinned by rigorous research conducted by an on-site research department. Research is directed at understanding how the Malilangwe ecosystem works and findings are used by the wildlife department to tailor management activities that ensure the natural functioning of the key ecological processes.
The Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve also focuses on Rhino conservation and anti-poaching. This conservation protection program, in conjunction with a favourable habitat, has ensured that populations of both black and white Rhino species have grown significantly over the last 18 years. The thriving population has seen an improvement of the ecology of the reserve through black rhino filling the ecological niche they held before local extinction. The programme has been so successful that Malilangwe is now in a position to send some of its black rhino to other reserves in Africa, in order to re-establish populations in areas where the species was previously poached to extinction.
The Trust has also sought to reintroduce locally extinct species and, where necessary, boost populations of existing low density species. The successful reintroduction of Lichtensteins Hartebeest at the reserve is an example of this and while not yet at the densities reported historically, the trends are highly encouraging. In total, the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve plays host to 16 critically endangered, endangered, threatened and near threatened species.
2. Conservation actions targeted are the landscape level occur through coorperation and coordination. The Gonarezhou National Park, neighbouring Malilangwe, is a core member of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP) and the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA), an area made up of a network of contiguous national parks, private reserves and communal lands in Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
This Transfrontier conservation model is aimed at enhancing inter-state co-operation, multi-stakeholder partnerships and collaboration for the benefit of conservation and sustainable local development. The Malilangwe Trust plays a role in this through its participation on the GLTP steering committee, which is a body comprised of local stakeholders tasked with the furtherance of the concept. In addition, the Malilangwe Trust provides support to the GCT in the protection of the GNP, both as a form of outreach and support and as a means of proactively assisting with conservation outside of its borders.
Sustainability:
The Malilangwe Trust believes that a holistic approach to sustainability is the best way to bring about lasting change. That’s why the Trust drives a strategic program to reduce and recycle waste, improve on all aspects of energy consumption and monitor and decrease water usage. To this end, the Trust has committed itself to achieving several goals before 2020:
- Carbon emissions: 100% of electrical energy through Solar PV; significantly reduced fuel usage in vehicles
- Zero waste: Recycle 100% of refuse; no plastic-bottled water; anaerobic digestion of food waste (composting); grey water used for irrigation
- Sustainable materials: 100% sustainable cleaning materials; use of environmentally friendly chemicals where necessary; use of sustainable building materials
- Local procurement: 90% local procurement of produce for staff canteens; maximize local procurement for lodge kitchens
- Water management: Install water meters at 100% of facilities; implement water-saving strategies
To assist with the monitoring and measurement of success on this front, the Malilangwe Trust has joined the One Planet program.
For more info on their sustainability efforts click here
The Malilangwe Trust is a wholly Zimbabwean, non-profit organization with focused on harmonizing biodiversity conservation, community development and commercial tourism.
The trust is involved in many community initiatives as well like the child nutrition program, managed by mothers, which provides a balanced meal to 19,500 children every school-going day. There are also six irrigation schemes which supply water to locals through hand-pumped or solar boreholes installed by the Trust and a clinic for all employees and their families to name a few initiatives. More details on this can be found here.
ORIGINS
Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, previously known as as Lone Star Ranch, was founded by Ray Sparrow in 1949. It was initially established as a cattle ranch, but a harsh climate and successive droughts soon made it clear that the land would be best suited for wildlife. The transition to wildlife based land-use commenced in 1985, and over time, cattle were removed and wildlife populations began to recover. The Malilangwe Trust purchased the ranch in 1994, and as part of its mandate began the process of restoring the area to its former glory.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES
- Restore and maintain wildlife populations, ecosystems and ecosystem processes on the estate to the variety and numbers that would have existed prior to post-colonial interventions.
- Structure and conduct activities, both on and off the estate, in such a way that conflict with neighbours is minimal and the Trust is considered a real asset to the Lowveld community.
- Make a material and lasting contribution to the development of the Zimbabwean Lowveld economy, particularly that of the communities located across the eastern and south-western boundaries of the estate.
- Make a significant and lasting contribution to the awareness among Zimbabwe’s young people about the importance and value of the country’s wildlife and cultural resources.
- Demonstrate, to all interested parties, that multiple-use wildlife management activities of the Trust are the preferred land use for the estate.