Kasanka National Park (7201)
Zambia, Africa

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2012

National site name: Kasanka National Park

Central coordinates: Latitude: -12.5167, Longitude: 30.2167

System: freshwater, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 1200 to 1200

Area of KBA (km²): 433.96164

Protected area coverage (%): 100.00

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Run by the Kasanka Trust, this was the first National Park to be privately managed and is entirely reliant on independent funding. It is situated to the west of the Serenje–Samfya road. Miombo dominates the area, but amongst the broad range of other habitats are an unusually high number of lakes (pans), some Cyperus papyrus swamp, dambo, mushitu, riparian forest and a few patches of dry evergreen forest. There are good tourist facilities and the park’s attractions include a tree-hide for viewing sitatunga Tragelaphus spekii which has been built 18 m up in a large mululu tree Khaya nyasica.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)

Additional biodiversity: See Box and Table 3 for key species. Besides the large number of Zambezian biome endemics, the miombo avifauna includes species such as Pachycoccyx audeberti, Anthus caffer and Elminia albicauda, and both Stactolaema anchietae and S. whytii occur. Along the rivers Scotopelia peli, Podica senegalensis and Alcedo semitorquata are regular, and Circaetus cinerascens, Musophaga rossae, Merops boehmi and Nectarinia verticalis are regular in and around most forest. A wide variety of waterbirds are found. Grus carunculatus is resident, Egretta vinaceigula and Balaeniceps rex are rare visitors, Circus macrourus occurs in small numbers and Falco naumanni is probably regular on passage. Non-bird biodiversity: A wide variety of mammals occur, including Tragelaphus spekii (LR/nt) and Cephalophus silvicultor (LR/nt). There is an enormous seasonal influx of the migratory fruit bat Eidolon helvum. Reptiles include the most southerly known population of Crocodylus cataphractus (DD).

Habitats

Land use: nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation | water management

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	100

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Since being privately managed, the park has been actively protected and there are probably no threats to the birdlife.

Additional information