A proposed coal mining project in Hwange Park, Zimbabwe, threatens endangered black rhinos, prompting ZimParks to call for cancellation of the initiative. The proposed site is close to a protected zone, which may jeopardize ecological conditions critical for rhino survival and increase extinction risks. Prior instances have led to a ban on mining in nature reserves.
A proposed coal mining project in Zimbabwe’s Hwange Park, known for its safaris, threatens the endangered black rhino population, according to the country’s national parks management authority, ZimParks. They stated that this mining proposal poses a significant threat to the Sinamatella Black Rhino Intensive Protection Zone within the park.
ZimParks has urged the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to cancel the mining project and to refrain from considering similar applications in the future. The authority is committed to restoring at least 30 percent of degraded land and ecosystems by 2030, and argues that this development would greatly increase the risk of extinction for black rhinos and hinder their population recovery.
The proposed project involves a coal prospecting permit from the Chinese firm Sunny Yi Feng, covering over 16,000 hectares located less than eight kilometers from the protected rhino zone, as per the government’s official gazette dated February 14. ZimParks emphasized that introducing mining activities in this essential habitat would disrupt the ecological conditions vital for wildlife’s survival and reproduction.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists black rhinos as endangered, reporting a global population of just over 6,400 as of last September, marking a one percent decline from the previous year largely due to poaching. Additionally, Hwange National Park houses 65,000 elephants, which is the second-largest concentration in Africa, and ZimParks pointed out that mining could disrupt groundwater flow, threatening essential water sources for various wildlife.
In a prior instance involving the Tongmao Coal Company at Hwange Park, the Zimbabwean government announced a ban on mining in nature reserves in 2020 due to similar concerns.
The proposed coal mining project in Hwange Park presents a grave threat to the endangered black rhino population, as indicated by ZimParks. The authority’s persistent advocacy against mining activities highlights the urgency to protect vital ecosystems and endangered species. With the government’s history of banning similar projects, it is imperative to reevaluate plans that could compromise wildlife conservation efforts.
Original Source: punchng.com
