Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area is a cultural TFCA, formerly known as the

Limpopo Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. It is named after the Limpopo River, which forms the province's western and northern borders. The capital and largest city in the province is Polokwane, while the provincial legislature ...

– Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area.

History

Establishment

With the assistance of the

Peace Parks Foundation The Peace Park Foundation, founded in 1997 by Dr Anton Rupert, President Nelson Mandela and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, is an organization that aims to re-establish, renew and conserve large ecosystems in Africa, transcending man-made bo ...

De Beers De Beers Group is an international corporation that specializes in diamond mining, diamond exploitation, diamond retail, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. The company is active in open-pit, large-scale alluvial and ...

, the National Parks Trust and WWF-SA,

SANParks South African National Parks (SANParks) is the body responsible for managing South Africa's national parks. SANParks was formed in 1926, and currently manages 19 parks consisting of , over 3% of the total area of South Africa. Many parks offer ...

consolidated the core area of South Africa's contribution to the proposed TFCA. In July 2003 the

Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape The Kingdom of Mapungubwe (or Maphungubgwe) (c. 1075–c. 1220) was a medieval state in South Africa located at the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers, south of Great Zimbabwe. The name is derived from either TjiKalanga and Tshivenda ...

was proclaimed a

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

Mapungubwe National Park Mapungubwe National Park is a national park in Limpopo Province, South Africa. It is located by the Kolope River, south of the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers and about to the NE of the Venetia Diamond Mine. The National Park border ...

was officially opened on 24 September 2004. A memorandum of understanding on the TFCA’s establishment was signed on 22 June 2006 and an international coordinator appointed. On 19 June 2009, the Limpopo/Shashe TFCA was renamed the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area. In 2012 archaeological discoveries were made on the farm Klein Bolayi, east of Mapungubwe National Park, confirming that the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape extends eastwards or downstream along the Limpopo Valley, and corroborating human habitation in the area for more than 1 500 years. The Greater Mapungubwe TFCA, which is presently being developed will cover an area of 4 872 km2 in extent, 28% (1 350 km2) will be situated in Botswana with a further 53% (2 561 km²) situated in South Africa and the balance 19% (960 km2) situated in Zimbabwe. With already viable populations of the larger draw card species such as

Elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantida ...

Lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus '' Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adu ...

Leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant species in the genus '' Panthera'', a member of the cat family, Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, ...

Cheetah The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...

Wild dog A free-ranging dog is a dog that is not confined to a yard or house. Free-ranging dogs include street dogs, village dogs, stray dogs, feral dogs, etc., and may be owned or unowned. The global dog population is estimated to be 900 million, of ...

; as well as some 19 mammals, 26 plant species and a fair number of bird species listed in the red data book. The area is of substantial importance for conservation reasons alone. The added range, protection and combined efforts offered through the establishment of the GMTFCA will contribute immensely to the protection of species found within the area. The dramatic landscapes and contrasts within the GMTFCA ensures what must be one of the most visually and naturally beautiful areas in Southern Africa, add to this the cultural heritage sites so rich and varied, that it entrenches the GMTFCA’s potential for drawing large numbers of local and international tourist alike to experience this magnificent area.

South Africa

South Africa's contribution to the transfrontier conservation area consist of the core area of the

as well as the

Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve {{Location map, South Africa Limpopo, float = right , width=250 , caption = Position of Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve, label = Venetia Limpopo NR, position=background=white, lat=-22.30251, long=29.20412 The Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve is ...

. Phase two of the project aims to include an additional number of properties including the proposed Limpopo Valley Conservancy,

Mapesu Private Game Reserve Mapesu Private Game Reserve is a game reserve in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The reserve adjoins the Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site, with which it shares a 12.5 km Northern border. The main entrance gate to the reserve ...

, the proposed Mogalakwena Game Reserve, The Vhembe Game Reserve as well as a number of smaller private farms. The total proposed area will be 256,100 hectares or 53% of the entire Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area.

Botswana

Botswana's contribution to the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area consists of the Northern

Tuli Game Reserve Tuli may refer to: Modern places (alphabetical by country) * Tülü, Balakan, Azerbaijan * Tülü, Lerik, Azerbaijan * Tuli (Trebinje), a settlement in the city of Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina * Tuli Block, a small region of Botswana * Tul ...

, comprising 36 freehold properties covering an area of 71,173ha. In phase two the area is expected to increase in size with the inclusion of the Central

Tuli Farms Tuli may refer to: Modern places (alphabetical by country) * Tülü, Balakan, Azerbaijan * Tülü, Lerik, Azerbaijan * Tuli (Trebinje), a settlement in the city of Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina * Tuli Block, a small region of Botswana * Tul ...

and the proposed Shashe CCA. In addition the area roughly extending from the town of

Mathathane Mathathane is a village in Central District of Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label=Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with ...

North to Kobojango and onwards to the Shashe River will also form part of the GMTFCA. In total Botswana's contribution to the TFCA is expected to be 135,000ha roughly 28% of the total area of the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area.

Zimbabwe

Sentinel Ranch Sentinel may refer to: Places Mountains * Mount Sentinel, a mountain next to the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana * Sentinel Buttress, a volcanic crag on James Ross Island, Antarctica * Sentinel Dome, a naturally occurring gran ...

Nottingham Estate Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robin ...

and the Tuli Circle Safari Area make up

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and ...

's contribution to the GMTFCA. In phase two the

Maramani Maramani is a ward in Beitbridge District of Matabeleland South province in southern Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rive ...

, Machuchuta as well as Hwali Wildlife Management Areas may also be included extending the size of Zimbabwe's contribution to the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area to 96,000 hectares or roughly 19%.

References