Zimbabwe’s parks authority opposes coal mining near Hwange National Park, citing threats to the endangered black rhino. The project, linked to Chinese firm Sunny Yi Feng, could harm vital ecosystems and increase extinction risks. Conservationists demand adherence to a government pledge to ban mining in reserves after a past controversy.
Zimbabwe’s national parks authority has vehemently opposed a proposed coal mining project in Hwange National Park, highlighting its potential threat to the endangered black rhino population. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) expressed concerns that the development, situated near the Sinamatella Black Rhino Intensive Protection Zone, could significantly endanger the species and has urged the Ministry of Mines to terminate the project.
ZimParks, tasked with restoring at least 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030, warned that mining would exacerbate the extinction risks faced by black rhinos and undermine ongoing conservation initiatives. The project, associated with the Chinese firm Sunny Yi Feng, is intended to cover 16,000 hectares, located a mere eight kilometers from the black rhino protection area.
Critics of the mining proposal have raised alarms over its potential ecological impact, asserting that it could disrupt vital environmental conditions necessary for wildlife, particularly the groundwater resources that sustain Hwange’s large elephant population, which totals approximately 65,000, the second largest in Africa. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) currently lists black rhinos as endangered, with a global population of around 6,400 as of September, suffering a 1% decline in the past year largely due to poaching.
The Zimbabwean government had previously committed to prohibiting mining activities in nature reserves following a similar issue involving a different Chinese company, Tongmao Coal, in 2020. Conservationists are now calling on authorities to abide by this pledge to protect wildlife habitats.
The proposed coal mining project near Hwange National Park poses significant threats to the endangered black rhino population, prompting strong opposition from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. The potential ecological damage and risks to wildlife conservation efforts have drawn criticism and calls for the Ministry of Mines to cancel the project. Conservationists continue to urge the government to honor its previous commitment to protect national parks from mining activities.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
