Zimbabwe: safari camp operators take on planned oil drilling at world heritage site

The operators of luxury Safari camps in Zimbabwe, which charge more than $1,000 a night, have lodged objections against a planned oil exploration program in the country’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mana Pools National Park.
The Zimbabwean top tourist attraction, the pristine Mana Pools, could be under threat after a mining company applied for a license to explore for oil and gas in the national park. Shalom Mining intends to prospect for petroleum oil and gas covering 130,000 hectares, which also includes the national park. African Bush Camps, which offers destinations across the country including at Nyamatusi Camp in Mana Pools, said in a 15 May letter to the Mining Affairs Board that granting Shalom Mining the permit would worsen global warming and biodiversity loss. Another company, Wilderness Safaris, which operates three camps in Mana Pools, has also raised objections.
Located along the southern bank of the Zambezi River that serves as the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, Mana Pools National Park holds immense ecological significance as a wildlife haven. The river’s braided channels, sprawling across a floodplain, attract diverse herds of elephants and buffalo while providing a vital habitat for lions, cheetahs, and leopards. The proposed oil exploration program, as both camp operators argue, directly threatens the delicate balance of this unique ecosystem. They also stress that preserving the natural beauty and biodiversity of Mana Pools is of paramount importance as sustainable tourism, which relies on preserving pristine ecosystems, is crucial for the long-term viability of the tourism industry in Zimbabwe.