A proposed coal mining project in Zimbabwe’s Hwange Park threatens endangered black rhinos, prompting ZimParks to urge cancellation of the project. The mining initiative endangers the ecological conditions essential for wildlife and could disrupt vital water sources, exacerbating extinction risks for black rhinos and affecting local biodiversity.
A proposed coal mining initiative within Zimbabwe’s Hwange Park threatens the endangered black rhino population, as stated by the national parks management authority (ZimParks). The mining project jeopardizes the Sinamatella Black Rhino Intensive Protection Zone, where conservation efforts are focused. ZimParks strongly urges the Ministry of Mines to cancel the project and prevent similar proposals in the future.
ZimParks aims to restore at least 30% of degraded land, inland waters, and ecosystems by 2030. They assert that the proposed mining would significantly increase the extinction risk for black rhinos, adversely affecting their population recovery prospects. This critical habitat, where black rhino numbers have been rising, is recognized in international endangered species conventions.
Chinese company Sunny Yi Feng’s application for coal prospecting covers an area exceeding 16,000 hectares, situated less than eight kilometers from the rhinos’ protected zone. ZimParks warns that mining could severely disrupt the ecological conditions vital for the survival and reproduction of wildlife.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, black rhinos are classified as “endangered,” with approximately 6,400 individuals remaining worldwide as of September, reflecting a 1% decline over the previous year, primarily due to poaching. Hwange National Park, which also hosts the second-largest concentration of elephants in Africa (65,000), may face groundwater flow interferences as a result of mining activities, jeopardizing water sources critical for local wildlife.
A previous mining proposal by the Tongmao Coal Company in Hwange National Park prompted the Zimbabwean government in 2020 to indicate a ban on mining operations within nature reserves, highlighting ongoing concerns over environmental impacts.
The potential coal mining project in Hwange Park raises significant environmental concerns regarding the endangered black rhino population and overall ecosystem health. ZimParks’ calls for cancellation highlight the urgent need for conservation measures to protect this critical habitat and the wildlife that depend on it. The interplay of mining activities and ecological integrity remains a pressing issue amid ongoing conservation efforts.
Original Source: punchng.com
