The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has rejected a coal mining project near Hwange National Park, citing threats to the endangered black rhino population. The project, proposed by Chinese firm Sunny Yi Feng, risks jeopardizing vital ecosystems and conservation efforts. Conservationists urge the government to uphold commitments made to ban mining in protected areas.
Zimbabwe’s Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has publicly denounced a proposed coal mining project near the Sinamatella Black Rhino Intensive Protection Zone within Hwange National Park. ZimParks contends that this mining initiative threatens the survival of the endangered black rhino and has urged the Ministry of Mines to terminate the project promptly.
The proposed project, facilitated by the Chinese firm Sunny Yi Feng, entails prospecting for coal over an area of 16,000 hectares, located just eight kilometers from the vital rhino protection zone. ZimParks emphasizes that mining operations in this region would heighten extinction risks for black rhinos and compromise ongoing conservation initiatives aimed at restoring at least 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030.
Environmental advocates express concerns that such mining could irreparably harm key ecological conditions essential for the survival of various wildlife species, notably the groundwater sources necessary for Hwange’s 65,000 elephants, which constitutes Africa’s second-largest elephant population. With approximately 6,400 black rhinos remaining globally, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified them as endangered, reporting a 1% population decline in the past year due to poaching activities.
In light of earlier controversies, including an incident involving Tongmao Coal in 2020, the Zimbabwean government had previously vowed to prohibit mining within nature reserves. Conservationists are now calling on the government to honor this commitment and protect the black rhino’s habitat from potential threats.
The proposal for coal mining near Hwange National Park has sparked significant concern among conservationists and authorities alike. ZimParks’ condemnation highlights the urgent need to protect endangered black rhinos and other wildlife from potential ecological harm. It remains critical for the Zimbabwean government to adhere to its previous pledges to safeguard natural reserves and uphold conservation efforts amidst growing industrial pressures.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
