Zimbabwe’s national parks authority has condemned a proposed coal mining project in Hwange National Park, warning that it threatens the endangered black rhino population in the region.
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) stated on Thursday that the project, planned near the Sinamatella Black Rhino Intensive Protection Zone, poses a significant threat to the species’ survival and urged the Ministry of Mines to cancel it.
ZimParks, responsible for restoring at least 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030, cautioned that mining activities in the area would increase the risk of extinction for black rhinos and jeopardize conservation efforts.
The controversial project involves Chinese firm Sunny Yi Feng, which has applied to prospect for coal across 16,000 hectares, just eight kilometres from the rhino protection zone. Critics argue that mining would damage ecological conditions vital for wildlife survival, including groundwater sources crucial for Hwange’s 65,000 elephants—the second-largest population in Africa.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies black rhinos as endangered, with only around 6,400 remaining worldwide as of last September. The population declined by 1% in the past year due to poaching.
Zimbabwe’s government previously pledged to ban mining in nature reserves after a similar controversy involving another Chinese company, Tongmao Coal, in 2020. Conservationists now urge authorities to uphold that commitment.
