Founded in 1986, the North Luangwa Conservation Program, based within and around North Luangwa National Park is one of FZS’s (and Zambia’s) longest standing projects; and the Nsumbu Tanganyika Conservation Program is one of its youngest, based around Nsumbu National Park and the wider southwestern Lake Tanganyika ecosystem. Both projects operate in partnership with Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife and work in close partnership with communities and government to ensure maximum effectiveness in protected area management at the two sites, which, when combined, cover over 29,000 km².

Engaging local communities is key to conserving these ecosystems and assisting them to sustainably manage natural resources to generate multiple benefits from living alongside wilderness areas. Both ecosystems are home to vast intact forests and crucial water catchment areas that contribute significantly to regional hydrological stability. The areas support a diverse range of flora and fauna, including, in North Luangwa, the endangered black rhino, strong populations of lions, and vulnerable but growing African wild dog populations. Nsumbu is home to the endangered and remarkable Sumbu-Itigi forests, a remnant and growing population of genetically distinct African savannah elephants, and offers vital protected breeding areas for Lake Tanganyika’s fish stocks which help to support over 10 million people.

Our focus areas in Zambia

  • Reduce direct threats to species and ecosystems 
  • Ensure effective, transparent, and adaptive protected area management 
  • Work with communities that live alongside the Parks to ensure natural resources are sustainably managed and are generating multiple benefits to these same communities
  • Improve policies, legislation, partnerships, and awareness contributing to both ecosystem and protected area management  while ensuring both are sustainably financed
  • Create an organizational framework that is effective, efficient, and consistently delivering project needs
  • Negotiate partnerships for the improved and devolved co-management of Parks and Game Management Areas based on revenue retention
Classified by IUCN as ‘Vulnerable’, lions thrive in North Luangwa National Park. Here the lion population is one of the biggest in the region. © Mana Meadows
Ecological monitoring of the area includes using camera traps. The analysis of this data is used to shape future management decisions surrounding the health of the ecosystem and for the communities that rely on the resources. © Mana Meadows
North Luangwa National Park is home to Zambia’s largest, most stable and only increasing elephant population. Nsumbu is home to a growing population of genetically distinct African savannah elephants. © Daniel Rosengren
A Community Conservation Bank (COCOBA) meeting in Zambia. COCOBAs are based on community savings and banking loans model and provide people with opportunities to start-up environmentally friendly income-generating activities. © Mana Meadows
We work in close partnership with communities and government to ensure maximum effectiveness in protected area management of North Luangwa National Park and Nsumbu National Park, which, when combined, cover over 29,000 km². © Mana Meadows
The North Luangwa Canine Unit comprises of dogs that are able to track poachers and detect a wide variety of wildlife products. © Mana Meadows
An airplane flying over the Zambian landscape. Planes are often used to monitor the landscape, to detect poaching activities, and conduct censuses. © Mana Meadows
The South-Central black rhinos (Dicerosbicornis minor) found in North Luangwa National Park are the only black rhinos in the country. © Mana Meadows
FZS works with local communities that live alongside the Parks to ensure natural resources are sustainably managed and are generating multiple benefits to these same communities. © Mana Meadows
North Luangwa has one of the largest hippo populations in the world. © Daniel Rosengren
A canine unit ranger and dog. The use of dogs in anti-poaching and law enforcement has an increasingly proven track record of success in a number of conservation areas across Africa because they are great at detecting illegal wildlife products such as ivory, rhino horn, and bush meat as well as firearms, ammunition, and illegally harvested hardwood timber. © Mana Meadows
With populations in decline, the African Wild Dog, like the black rhino, is one of the world’s most endangered land mammals. However, healthy populations of these animals are found in the Luangwa valley. © Will Burrard Lucas

News from Zambia

  • 12/15/2022Project update

    North Luangwa National Park awarded for conservation excellence

    12/15/2022Project update

    North Luangwa National Park awarded for conservation excellence

    At COP15 in Montreal, Canada, the IUCN announced that North Luangwa National Park is the first Park in Zambia to be part of its Green List, which recognizes protected areas that have been fairly governed, effectively managed and that respect local communities through fair and meaningful engagement.

  • 04/13/2022Project update

    Black Rhino Rescue in Zambia

    04/13/2022Project update

    Black Rhino Rescue in Zambia

    The FZS team in North Luangwa National Park, Zambia, successfully pulled off a complicated rhino rescue. The animal is now roaming safer areas of the National Park thanks to a helicopter and the help of dedicated partners.

  • 01/24/2022FZS in the media

    Claire Lewis: Good news! Black rhinos and elephants are on the rise in Zambia

    01/24/2022FZS in the media

    Claire Lewis: Good news! Black rhinos and elephants are on the rise in Zambia

    FZS Technical Advisor in North Luangwa, Zambia, spoke about raising three children in the wilderness, how rhinos, elephants, lions and wild dogs recovered from poaching and more in this podcast by Nature Solutionaries.

Projects in Zambia

  • Zambia

    North Luangwa National Park

  • Zambia

    Nsumbu National Park

Milestones

NLCP and NTCP pick up all GMA Community Scout salaries during Covid when income from tourism fell to virtually zero. NTCP: An 8500-hectare sanctuary is completed inside Nsumbu National Park to provide an intensive management zone for wildlife translocations beginning in 2021 and ultimately aimed at securing a black rhino founder population.

2020

NTCP: The Tanganyika Boat Unit (TABU) is established to combat the illegal wildlife trade across southern Lake Tanganyika. NLCP sees the lowest ever detected poached elephant carcasses across the NL ecosystem.

2019

Two rhinos with ex-Zambezi genes are added to the North Luangwa population. No elephants are poached inside NLNP.

2018

FZS signs a Memorandum of Agreement with the Zambia Department of National Parks and Wildlife for Nsumbu National Park – the second FZS site in Zambia. The Nsumbu Tanganyika Conservation Project (NTCP) is formed.

2017

Rhino sanctuary re-encirclement initiated and expanded to 1,200km; Rhino and Elephant Protection Unit (REPU) deployment base constructed; canine wildlife crime detection unit established; Aviat Husky surveillance aircraft purchased.

2015

Rhino and Elephant Protection Unit (REPU) established; Conservation Education Program rebranded to Lolesha Luangwa “Look after Luangwa,” and a safari truck purchased for local school visits to NLNP.

2014

North Luangwa Business Plan produced.

2013

Anti-poaching vehicle fleet replaced with seven new Land Cruisers, Caterpillar Grader 140H, Rhino Yamaha Quad bikes, and five Honda motorbikes purchased through GIZ grant.

2012

Founder population completed with the release of five more rhinos into NLNP; Black Rhino Management Plan completed.

2010

Five more rhinos reintroduced to NLNP; FZS and ZAWA extend the partnership agreement to 2018.

2008

Claire Lewis and Ed Sayer become project leaders.

2007

Ten more rhinos reintroduced to NLNP.

2006

First black rhino calf born in NLNP.

2005

North Luangwa National Park General Management Plan completed.

2004

The first five rhinos reintroduced from South Africa.

2003

Rhino reintroduction project planning and vision created for NLNP.

2001

Law enforcement database installed in NLNP.

2000

Control and command center set up in NLNP.

1999

The government of Zambia and FZS sign an agreement to jointly support NLCP until 2008.

1998

FZS is invited to join the Program partnership, Elsabe Aucamp and Hugo van der Westhuizen become project leaders.

1997

NLNP Program is taken over by Zambian authorities.

1996

Major equipment purchase & delivery for NLNP; ivory trade is internationally banned.

1990

FZS provides four vehicles and one aircraft to NLNP; Zambian authorities approve the building of the Research Centre.

1987

FZS first provides support to North Luangwa National Park in Zambia.

1986

First engagement of FZS with Zambia Wildlife Society for public environmental education.

1972-1976

Contact

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