Most recent IBA monitoring assessment | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year of assessment | Threat score (pressure) | Condition score (state) | Action score (response) |
2011 | high | favourable | low |
For more information about IBA monitoring please click here |
Site description
Chizarira National Park lies on, and south of, the Zambezi Rift Valley escarpment, about 80 km south-east of the small town of Binga, on the southern shore of Lake Kariba. The park is bounded in the north, west and east by Binga, Gokwe and Manjolo Communal Lands, and in the south by the Chirisa Safari Area. It falls within Binga District of Matabeleland North Province and forms part of the Sebungwe region. It is accessible by dirt roads from Binga, Gokwe and Lusulu.
Key biodiversity
See Box and Table 3 for key species. Chizarira provides a wide variety of habitats for birds, with nearly 400 species having been recorded. The escarpment cliffs and gorges provide nesting sites for Ciconia nigra, Falco peregrinus, Falco fasciinucha, Aquila verreauxii and numerous swifts. The area is well known for its large variety of raptors, particularly Hieraaetus ayresii and Spizaetus coronatus. The riverine forest and thickets in the gorges are a major breeding area for Apaloderma narina, Smithornis capensis and Guttera pucherani. Chizarira has the only nest record to date for Erythrocercus livingstonei and is a known regular breeding site for Pitta angolensis. There are regular sightings of Cercococcyx montanus. Species of interest in the vleis in the central part of the park are Rostratula benghalensis and Sarothrura rufa. Along the Busi river, the oxbow lakes and sandy riverbanks provide suitable nesting sites for a variety of swallows, martins and bee-eaters.
Non-bird biodiversity: Chizarira has a good variety of large mammals. It was previously well known for its healthy population of Diceros bicornis (CR), but these are now absent through the combined effects of poaching and recent translocations to other national parks.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2021) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Chizarira National Park. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 05/03/2021.