Национальный парк Кафуэ в Замбии

National Park in Zambia

Kafue National Park is the largest national park in Zambia, covering an area of about 22,400 km2 (similar in size to Wales or Massachusetts). It is the second largest national park in Africa and is home to 152 different species of mammals. The park is named for the Kafue River. Kafue National Park was established in the 1950s by Norman Carr, an influential British Rhodesian conservationist. Dissatisfaction with the pace of development in Central Province and a lack of benefit from tourism in the park are some of the reasons for this demand for an 11th province. In February 2021, a Priority Support Plan was initiated by Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and African Parks to secure technical and financial support for the park over a 15 month period. Following the success of this procedure, the Zambian government invited African Parks to enter into a 20 year agreement to manage Kafue.

The country is generally flat or gently undulating apart from some small, steep porphyritic granite hills between Chonga and Ngoma and occasional sandstone and granite hills around Ngoma rising to The southwestern part of the Hook granite massif underlies the central part of the park, including schist, gneiss, granite gneiss and granite. On the edge of the granite massif there are slates, quartzites and limestones from the Katanga sediments of the inner Lufilian Arc. To the north and south of the massif the soil covers Karroo sediments of shales, siltstones, concreted gravels and various types of laterite. In the northern end of the park the flood plains have clay soils, but otherwise the soils are strongly leached sandy to loamy soils with low fertility. In most of the drainage of the Nanzila river, and in some of the lands around the Nkala, Musa and Lwansanza rivers, there are dark grey alkaline clays. Otherwise, the park is covered by well drained and relatively infertile pale or orange Kalahari sands mixed with some silt and clay. The annual mean temperature is , with a mean maximum from in July to in October, the hottest month of the year. Winds are mostly light, blowing from the east.

Most of the park is covered in miombo woodlands, which are open semi deciduous forests of trees in the genera Brachystegia, Julbernardia and Isoberlinia, adapted to periodic wildfires. These woodlands have a few small dambos interspersed among them. Evergreen forests of teak and mopane occur in the south and centre. Large termite mounds in the forests host particular evergreen flora, notably the candelabra tree (Euphorbia ingens), and the jackalberry (Diospyros mespiliformis). These mounds can be huge and are hundreds, even thousands, of years old. Other mammals include African buffalo, aardvark, pangolin, bushpig, warthog, spring hare and bush baby. Since 2005, the protected area has been considered a lion 'conservation unit', together with South Luangwa National Park. There are over 200 lions in the park. There are over 500 recorded bird species. The endangered Grey crowned crane is also in the park. Additionally there are flocks of pelicans, many species of egrets and large gatherings of African openbill storks. Colonies of African skimmers are found on sandbars in the main rivers. The small termite mounds of the grasslands attract sooty chats, and wetter areas of the plains are favoured by the rosy throated longclaw. When the termite alates fly before the rains, pallid harriers, Montagu's harriers, lesser kestrels and European hobby feast on them. The woodlands are home to African hawk eagles, black chested snake eagles, racket tailed rollers, flocks of helmetshrikes, and sooty and Arnot's chats.

Commercially important fish species in the area are Sarotherodon macrochir, Tilapia andersonii, T. rendalli, T. sparrmanii, Clarias gariepinus, Marcusenius macrolepidotus, Labeo molybdinus and Hepsetus odoe. In 1992, kapenta (Limnothrissa miodon) from Lake Tanganyika were introduced into Lake Itezhi tezhi.

Ngoma in the south is the headquarters of the park, but this area, together with the Nanzhila Plains, is less visited since the Itezhi Tezhi Dam was built and more lodges were developed in the north. The reservoir cut the north–south track through the park and used to make it necessary to detour outside the park to drive between Ngoma and Chunga. The completion of the spine road once again links the north and south of the park.

Kafue National Park receives extra protection because it is buffered by nine Game Management Areas. Still, poaching and the demand for bushmeat has led to decline in animal numbers. In 2018, a team of six NGOs worked together to prevent declines due to poaching and habitat degradation. African Parks joined the coalition in 2021, working with the Zambia Wildlife Authority. The Priority Support Plan with African Parks and the government led to the creation of over 200 jobs, improved protection measures, and infrastructure investments. Some of the infrastructure improvements were a new law enforcement centre, fixing existing infrastructure at Chunga and Ngoma, and grading roads. In 2021, investment for law enforcement was double the average for 2018–2020.