Africa-Press – Mozambique. Mozambique’s National Conservation Area Administration (ANAC) on Wednesday highlighted advances in the protection of biodiversity in the country, in a message marking the celebrations of World Wildlife Day.
Among the “advances” noted by the body that regulates biodiversity in Mozambique is the strengthening of legislation, with emphasis on approval of the National Plan for Territorial Development and Plan for Organisation of Maritime Space, instruments that allow the authorities to better manage and delimit the conservation areas, ANAC said in a statement distributed to the media.
In addition, according to ANAC, the increase of fauna in protected areas and reduction of poaching are other factors that prove the progress that Mozambique has made, although the organisation does not provide figures or details on these two points.
Mozambique has a total of 10,000 species of flora and fauna catalogued, with emphasis on terrestrial fauna totalling 4,271 species, including insects, birds, mammals and amphibians, according to data provided in the ANAC statement.
“Research institutions continue to identify new species,” ANAC said.
Poaching in Mozambique has been a serious threat to wildlife in the country, having drastically reduced some species, according to official data.
According to the latest data from ANAC, since 2009, the country has lost at least ten thousand elephants, and in the Niassa Reserve alone, with an area of 42,400 square kilometres, the total number of this species fell from 12,000 to 4,400 in three years (between 2011 and 2014).
More recent reports indicate that the country lost 48% of its elephant population between 2011 and 2016.
World Wildlife Day, which takes place on Thursday, is celebrated under the slogan “Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration” and in Mozambique, the central ceremonies will take place in the Maputo National Park, Matutuine district, Maputo province.
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