Africa-Press – Mozambique. The United States is to donate more than $10 million (just over €8 million) for conservation projects in the Niassa Special Reserve, the US embassy in Maputo said on Friday.
The amount will be made available over the next five years and will be managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society and the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), according to the note, sent to celebrate World Ranger Day, which was marked on Saturday.
“This day celebrates their work as committed guardians of Mozambique’s natural heritage and honours the memory of those who died in the performance of their duty to protect wildlife from poachers and to conserve essential wild spaces,” the note said.
Created in 1960, the Niassa Special Reserve, in northern Mozambique, is the largest protected area in the country, covering 42,400 square kilometres.
According to official figures, over the last five years, the United States has provided nearly $15 million (almost €13 million) to managers of the Niassa Reserve, as well as over $50 million (€42 million) provided to the Gorongosa National Park (in the centre of the country) to combat wildlife poaching and support the livelihood of local communities.
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 10,000 elephants, and in the Niassa Reserve alone, the total number of this species dropped from 12,000 to 4,400 in three years (between 2011 and 2014).
More recent reports showed that the country lost, between 2011 and 2016, 48% of its elephant population.
