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Wildlife of Zambia: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Kafue National.jpg|right|thumb|Kafue National Park]] | [[Image:Kafue National.jpg|right|thumb|[[Kafue National Park]]]] | ||
The '''wildlife of Zambia''' refers to the natural | The '''wildlife of Zambia''' refers to the natural flora and fauna of [[Zambia]]. This article provides an overview, and outline of the main wildlife areas or regions, and compact lists of animals focussing on prevalence and distribution in the country rather than on taxonomy. Tigers More specialised articles on particular groups are linked from here. | ||
==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
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In the early part of the 20th century most of Zambia's rural areas supported wildlife at levels similar to that seen in national parks today, and the 'big five' game animals were widespread outside reserves and parks. Of them today, the [[black rhinoceros|rhinoceros]] is almost extinct, the [[African bush elephant|elephant]] and [[Southwest African lion|lion]] are found almost exclusively in parks, the [[African buffalo]] is found in or close to parks. Of the other large animals, only the [[spotted hyena]], [[Nile crocodile]], [[hippopotamus]], and [[lechwe]] are found in numbers outside parks, the former from its success as a scavenger, the latter three since their aquatic habit has less overlap with human activities. | In the early part of the 20th century most of Zambia's rural areas supported wildlife at levels similar to that seen in national parks today, and the 'big five' game animals were widespread outside reserves and parks. Of them today, the [[black rhinoceros|rhinoceros]] is almost extinct, the [[African bush elephant|elephant]] and [[Southwest African lion|lion]] are found almost exclusively in parks, the [[African buffalo]] is found in or close to parks. Of the other large animals, only the [[spotted hyena]], [[Nile crocodile]], [[hippopotamus]], and [[lechwe]] are found in numbers outside parks, the former from its success as a scavenger, the latter three since their aquatic habit has less overlap with human activities. | ||
The cause of this decline is the [[Demographics of Zambia|four-fold increase]] in human population in the last fifty years and consequent loss of habitat, especially of forest and woodland. Although commercial farming and ranching is responsible for land-clearing and the elimination of carnivores and competing herbivores, the amount of land used commercially is actually small, and the more widespread and less intensive subsistence farming known as ''chitemene'' shifting cultivation is more to blame (responsible for about 9000 km<sup>2</sup> of woodland deforestation per year), along with [[charcoal]] production (responsible for about 2000 km<sup>2</sup> of woodland deforestation per year).<ref>[http://www.eoearth.org/article/Itigi-Sumbu_thicket World Wildlife Fund; Mark McGinley (2007). "Itigi-Sumbu thicket."] In: ''Encyclopedia of Earth.'' Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [Published in the Encyclopedia of Earth March 19, 2009; Retrieved November 8, 2007].</ref> | The cause of this decline is the [[Demographics of Zambia|four-fold increase]] in human population in the last fifty years and consequent loss of habitat, especially of forest and woodland. Although commercial farming and ranching is responsible for land-clearing and the elimination of carnivores and competing herbivores, the amount of land used commercially is actually small, and the more widespread and less intensive subsistence farming known as ''chitemene'' shifting cultivation is more to blame (responsible for about 9000 km<sup>2</sup> of woodland deforestation per year), along with [[charcoal]] production (responsible for about 2000 km<sup>2</sup> of woodland deforestation per year).<ref>[http://www.eoearth.org/article/Itigi-Sumbu_thicket World Wildlife Fund; Mark McGinley (2007). "Itigi-Sumbu thicket."] In: ''Encyclopedia of Earth.'' Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [Published in the Encyclopedia of Earth March 19, 2009; Retrieved November 8, 2007].</ref> | ||
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[[Category:Biota of Zambia]] | [[Category:Biota of Zambia]] | ||
[[Category:Natural resources of Zambia]] | |||
[[Category:Wildlife of Zambia]] | |||
