Tômbwa – Three new environmental conservation zones have been created in recent years in Angola, namely Morro do Moco (Huambo), Floresta do Kumbira (Cuanza-Sul) and Serra do Pingano (Uíge), the minister of the Environment Ana Paula Chantre de Carvalho revealed Saturday.
Speaking at the event that marked the inauguration of administrative support infrastructures for the Iona National Park, in the commune with the same name, in the municipality of Tômbwa, inaugurated by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, she said that this was only possible thanks to the increase inspection capacity.
This process of expanding protected conservation areas that join national parks, according to the minister, increased the current coverage of terrestrial areas from 13 to 16 percent in the country, an increase that helps protect migration corridors.
This new era, she added, opens up new challenges such as human-animal conflict, the sustainable exploitation of natural resources and the empowerment of local communities.
She pointed out that the country is beginning to observe a frequent trend of many migratory species, with emphasis on the red-footed falcon, a species of bird originating from Europe and which migrates in millions to the municipality of Mungo, in Huambo.
“This dynamic growth of many species and the revitalization of many wildlife corridors and the need to protect ecosystems and threatened wildlife led the ministry to develop this program to expand conservation areas”, highlighted the minister.
She admitted that the country is home to one of the greatest biodiversity in Africa, a biological wealth that suffered “great pressure” during the armed conflict, which led to the degradation of the ecosystem and reduced fauna.
In certain cases, said Ana Paula de Carvalho, it led to the extinction of certain species, such as the rhinoceros, giraffes and buffaloes.
Faced with the situation, the Government took measures to reverse the situation and, in the 2000s, a recovery program was announced, which began in Quiçama, and was followed by the recovery of most of the conservation areas.
Located 160 kilometers south of Moçâmedes, capital of the province, the Iona natural reserve is endowed with rich biodiversity, having been established as a hunting reserve in 1937, before being transformed into a National Park in 1964 and occupies an area of 15 thousand square kilometers. MS/ART/DOJ
