ºÚÁÏÍø911

This landmark initiative is part of a broader effort to revitalise the MCC’s ecosystem, which had suffered due to past poaching, drought, habitat degradation, and human-wildlife conflict. By carefully selecting herbivorous species known for their ecological significance, the project intends to stimulate natural regeneration of grasslands and woodlands while laying the foundation for sustainable wildlife-based tourism.

Local leaders and community members have welcomed the project as a long-awaited boost to their conservation aspirations. For decades, the Mucheni community has sought to manage and benefit from its natural resources through sustainable practices rooted in traditional knowledge and environmental stewardship.

Community ownership at the core

The success of this initiative lies in the active participation of the local people. The planning process involved extensive consultations with traditional leaders, village development committees, and community representatives to ensure the translocation aligned with their land-use plans and development priorities.

The translocation was carried out with meticulous preparation and monitoring by wildlife experts, veterinarians, and rangers. The animals were selected from areas where populations are stable, ensuring minimal ecological disruption. Health checks were conducted before, during, and after the operation to guarantee their wellbeing.

Long-term vision

The Mucheni Community Conservancy has setup monitoring mechanisms to track animal adaptation, habitat use, and broader ecological impacts. Training programmes for local rangers and community-based resource monitors are also underway, ensuring that the community remains at the forefront of this transformation.

Looking ahead, stakeholders envision Mucheni as a model for community-driven conservation in Zimbabwe where nature and people coexist harmoniously, and conservation leads to improved livelihoods.
The SWM Programme continues to support biodiversity restoration in Zimbabwe. In Mucheni, the translocation of these 90 wild animals is a conservation milestone and a powerful reminder of what is possible when partnerships, people, and purpose come together for nature.

About the SWM Programme

The SWM Programme is a major international initiative that aims to improve the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife in forest, savannah and wetland ecosystems. It is being funded by the with co-funding from the (FFEM) and the (AFD). It is one of the largest European Union-funded biodiversity programmes and contributes to the and NatureAfrica. Projects are being piloted and tested with governments and communities in 15 participating countries. The initiative is coordinated by a dynamic consortium of four partners, namely the of the United Nations (FAO), the (CIFOR-ICRAF), the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (ºÚÁÏÍø911) and the (WCS).