Aquatic Survey in Banhine National Park Marks Another Milestone in Mozambique's Conservation and Rebuilding Efforts

AWF just completed (July 2005) an aquatic survey in Banhine National Park, another major step in efforts to restore wildlife resources in war-torn Mozambique. This survey was designed to inventory aquatic resources. Although a full identification of all species collected (vertebrates and invertebrates) has not yet been completed, preliminary results show that the park's aquatic systems are home to at least 18 species belonging to ten different families (see table below).

Banhine National Park accounts for 37 percent of the 49 species of fish recorded in the entire Great Transfrontier Conservation Area. Among the fish found in Banhine National Park, three species deserve special conservation status because of their rarity and limited distribution. These are the two small seasonal pan-inhabitants, Nothobrinchius orthonotus and Nothobrinchius furzeri (commonly known as killifish), as well as lungfish, Protopterus annectens.

This survey, along with the aerial survey AWF completed in October 2004, are important first steps in AWF and the Mozambique Ministry of Tourism (MITUR)'s efforts to restore and help preserve Mozambique's wildlife. The country's wildlife suffered greatly during the country's civil wars. Both surveys indicate that the area's wildlife resources hold huge potential for survival. This is not only good news for the wildlife, but also for Mozambique residents who can benefit from ecotourism.

Established in 1973, Banhine National Park measures more than 7,000 square kilometers. The park is part of AWF's Limpopo Heartland and is comprised of a variety of landscapes, including savannah woodlands, grasslands and wetlands. The Limpopo Heartland spans three diverse countries; Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Centered between the Limpopo and Save Rivers, this Heartland includes South Africa's popular Kruger National Park which attracts more than 1.3 million visitors a year.

Families / species

Protopteridae

Protopterus annectens

Cyprinidae

Barbus annectens

Barbus afrohamiltoni

Barbus paludinosus

Barbus sp.

Barbus toppini

Characidae

Brycinus imberi

Schilbeidae

Schilbe intermedius

Clariidae

Clarias gariepinus

Clarias ngamensis

Mochokidae

Synodontis zambezensis

Aplocheilidae

Nothobranchius orthonotus

Nothobranchius furzeri

Poeciliidae

Aplocheilichthys cf. myaposae

Cichlidae

Pseudocrenilabrus philander

Oreochromis mossambicus

Tilapia rendalli

Gobiidae

Glossogobius callidus