Grade 10-12 Geography

WILDLIFE AND TOURISM IN ZAMBIA AND THE SUB-REGION

Grade 10-12 Geography

Author: C.I. Chilukusha (Mrs)

Summary: This lesson plan covers the types of wildlife found in Zambia, the importance of wildlife for
tourism industry, case studies of tourist activities in Southern province, advantages and disadvantages
of tourism, and outlines government efforts to promote tourism. Other tourism activities in Malawi,
South Africa and Kenya.

ZAMBIA
Wildlife: Types
(1) Herbivores or plant eating animals e.g. eland, zebra, hippos, etc.
(2) Carnivores: These are flesh eaters like lion, leopard, hyena, Jackal, crocodile etc.
(3) Birds:- These include, eagle, dove, owl, hawk bee – eaters etc.
(5) Reptiles: Such as lizards, and snakes e.g. python, cobra, puff adder
(6) Amphibians:- These include frogs, crocodiles, hippos, water monitors etc.
(7) Insects e.g. grass hoppers, butterflies, ants, caterpillars etc.
(8) Aquatic life e.g. fish, water monitors, crocodiles etc.
(9) Plant life e.g. mopani, mukwa.

IMPORTANCE OF WILDLIFE AND TOURISM

- For scientific research, e.g. flora and fauna (plants and animal).
- Attracts tourists who bring foreign exchange to Zambia.
- Provides cheap game meat which is an important source of protein.
- Provides ecological balance between plants, animals and people.
- Source of revenue through the sale of hunting licenses and animal skins, elephants tasks,
meat.
- Trees provide timber medicines, etc
- Wildlife leads to development of infrastructure e.g. roads
- Provides employment to game guards, rangers etc.
- Source of foreign exchange.
- Helps in cultural exchange.
- Provides recreation – people can spend leisure time viewing them.
- Provides a natural heritage and wealth.

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- Tourism leads to existence of other related industries e.g. hotels, travel agencies, cottage
industry, tour operation and safaris, boat cruises etc.

TOURIST ATTRACTION S
- Relief – gives a beautiful scenery to tourists
- Wildlife – e.g. animals, plants, etc.
- Important buildings e.g. historical like Kabwata village
- Historical sites e.g. Dag Hamasjhord.
- Sports activities e.g. rafting on water, fishing etc.
- Recreation facilities with cultural performances.
- Sites e.g. Victoria falls, mines
- Recreation activities include water sports, viewing wildlife, game hunting, museum, site seeing.

A CASE STUDY OF TOURISM IN SOUTHERN PROVINCE

- Namwala – Kafue National parks for game viewing
- Livingstone – victoria Falls (Mosio-o-tunya), game reserves, old railway museum, cultural
village, curios, white water rafting, sky jumping.
- Sinazongwe – Zambezi escarpment, mamba mine, Kariba Lake, beeches.
- Choma – Tonga museum.
- Siavonga – Zambezi escarpment, kariba dam, Kariba Lake, beeches, cruises, crocodile farm,
Ng’ombe ilede, fossil forests, power station, fishing.
- Monze – Lochnivor, birds watching, wet areas, game viewing, hot springs, drum rock, early
man excavations, massive baobab trees etc.
- Mazabuka – Munali Hills historical site
- Kalomo – Kalundu historical site.
- Namwala – Cultural ceremonies e.g. shimunenga.

Other attractions throughout Zambia include:-

- Traditional ceremonies e.g. Kuomboka, Mutomboko etc.
- Falls e.g. Kalambo, Mambilima etc.
- Game parks and game reserves.
- Rivers and lakes.
- Warm climate e.g. may to September.
- Presence of friendly people.

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PRESERVATION OF WILDLIFE
- Setting up of Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), the ministry of Tourism Environment and
natural resources including Zambia National Tourist Board.
- Government funds the Wildlife conservation society of Zambia.
- Setting up and maintenance of game parks and game reserves.
- Embarking on the community based resource management (CBRM) when educates local
people on importance and conversation wildlife.
- Employing game rangers to protect the animals.
- Improving communication between game police and the Department of National parks &
wildlife.
- Banning of trade in national trophies e.g. Rhino horns and elephant tasks.
- Punishes poachers e.g. imprisonment.
- Domestication of animals threatened with extinction e.g. Rhinos.
- Issuing permits/ licenses to those who wish to hunt in game management areas.
- Proper management of wildlife e.g. game cropping.
- Establishment of reptile and other animal farms e.g. crocodile farms e.g. Kalimba farms.

NATIONAL PARKS AND GAME RESERVES

- Zambia has 19 national parks.
- Kafue is the biggest while Mosio-o-tunya is the smallest.
- These are South Luangwa, north Luangwa, Lukusizi, nyika, Lusenga plain, mweru-wa-ntipa,
soma ngwezi, Liuwa plain, Lochnivor, mosi-oa-tunya, kafue national park, west lunga, Sumbu
national park.

PROBLEMS FACED BY WILDLIFE AND TOURISM

- Lack of infrastructure e.g. roads to game parks.
- Insufficient accommodation e.g. hotels.
- Security of tourists is not guaranteed e.g. attacks, killings.
- Overcrowding e.g. at traditional ceremonies.
- Poaching of wildlife e.g. Rhinos
- Settlement and cultivation have disturbed habitation of animals.
- Fluctuating numbers of tourists – seasonal.
- Inadequate private investment capital into tourism.
- Tourism promotes cultural degradation e.g. dress.
- Encourages prostitution and spread of diseases e.g. HIV.
- Leads to environmental degradation e.g. littering.

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GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO PROMOTE TOURISM
- Encouraging investment in business that promotes tourism e.g. car hire, lodges, airlines,
photograph studios.
- Development of infrastructure e.g. roads hotels e.g. San hotel in Livingstone, airport
rehabilitation e.g. Livingstone and Solwezi airport etc.
- Relaxation of immigration regulations and foreign exchange control.
- Advertising by National Tourist Board abroad.
- Conservation of wildlife through game parks etc.
- Privatizing institutions e.g. Zambia Airways for better service, including some game
reserves e.g. Liuwa G.R.
- Improvement of services offered by agents e.g. holidaysagents and air lines e.g. Zambia
Airways.

ADVANTAGES OF TOURISM
- Brings revenue to government and income to people.
- Provides employment e.g. tour operators.
- Promotes craft industry and other related industries.
- Promotes culture e.g. traditional ceremonies.
- Source of foreign exchange brought in by tourists.
- Uses land, which is not useful to the national e.g. agriculture etc.
- Leads to infrastructure development e.g. roads, airports.

DISADVANTAGES
- Parks take up land needed for other economic activities.
- Seasonal activity.
- Employs low class people e.g. barmen, guards.
- Foreign culture corrupts traditional morals.
- Externalization of huge profits by foreign operators.
- Encourages vices like prostitutions, drug trafficking etc.
- Development centered on tourist e.g. expensive hotels.
- Long distance to tourist attraction e.g. national parks.
- High operational costs e.g. staff salaries even when there very few tourists.

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SOURCES OF TORUISTS
- Zambia’s tourist come from Europe, USA, Africa, Asia.

TOURISM – SUBREGION

MALAWI

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
(1) National parks and game reserves e.g. Luwonde national park and Kasungu N.P etc.
(2) Natural resources e.g. lakes, rivers mountains, waterfalss, and the rift valley.
(3) Cottage industries, handcrafts e.g. floor mats, baskets, tables, and chairs etc.
(4) Historical sites e.g. independence, Arch on Kamuzu highway
(5) Cold/ cool climate.
(6) Friendly people
(7) Natural sites e.g. Zomba plateau, Lake Malawi etc.
Lake Malawi offers sand beeches, for swimming, fishing, water ski , boat sailing, sky diving etc.

National parks – These are areas set aside for animal habitation e.g. Nyika, Kasungu, Liwonde etc.

Game reserves – These are smaller than national parks and not very well development for visitors.
- Tourist have their own equipment and food e.g. Majete game reserve, Vwaza marsh,
Nkhota Kota and Mwabvi game reserves.
- Animals founds in Parks include Zebra, Eland, Reedack, Bushbuck, Hyena, Warthogs,
elephants, birds and all other wildlife.

ADVANTAGES OF TOURISM TO MALAWI

- Source of foreign exchange.
- Roads, hotels, airports, electricity and hospitals have been improved e.g. lake shore
highway on the lakeshore.
- Hotels and rest houses buy agricultural products e.g. milk, vegetables, fruits, tea, etc.
hence providing market.
- It has stimulated industries and cultural preservation of wildlife and forest reserves.
- It has encouraged the development of historical sites.

NOTE: See notes on Zambia.

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DISADVANTAGES
- More forex is spent on imported goods e.g. cars.
- It is a seasonal activity – less in rain season.
- Brings cultural conflicts and moral degradation.

GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO BOOST TOURISM

- Establishment of the tourism department to promote tourism.
- Hotels have been improved through the tourism department and Investment company of
Malawi Limited which owns the hotels.
- The department embarks on yearly programs.
- Improved roads, air, rail and water to tourist attractions.
- New game reserves, lake side hotels and lodges have been established.
- Malawi has joined the southern Africa Regional Tourism Council which promotes and co-
ordinates the tourism industry with Blantyre as the Headquaters.

CONSTRAINTS OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

- Inadequate communication e.g. lack of television services throughout the country.
- Inadequate railway connections to Mozambique.
- Inadequate infrastructure e.g. no international standard accommodation on the lake shore.
- Limited capital for advertisements abroad.
- Poor road transport.
- Poaching depletes animal species like elephants.
- Deforestation disturbs the home of animals.

SOUTH AFRICA

MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

- National parks such as the Kruger National Park, Kalahari Gemsbok park, the Royal Natal
National park and the Addo Elephant N. Park.
- Game reserves like Zululand game reserve and private ones like Timbavati Manyeleti,
Sabie Sand Reserves, Mpumalanga, Karoo.
- Wildlife like lion, elephant, leopards, buffalo, Rhino, Zebra, wildbeats, giraffe, hippo,
crocodile, antelope, wild dogs, reptiles, insects, birds.
- Mountains e.g. table mt, and the Drankensburg Mt have beautiful scenery, mountain
climbing.

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 - Lost City at sun near Johannesburg including Gold reef city.
- Beaches with golden sands e.g. Natal south coast plattenberg Bay for sun bathing, fun
swimming boating.
- Museums, historical sites curios, hand crafts and culture sourvenirs e.g. Robin island –
Mandela’s prison etc.
- Traditional dances e.g. miners dance.
- The Guaren Route, starching along the South East Coast.
- Warm sunny climate, rest houses and hotels e.g. st. Lucia, Golf cource, beeches, Lusedi
cultural village.

SOURCE OF TOURISTS
USA, UK, JAPAN, GERMANY, FRANCE, ISRAEL, Netherlands, Belgium, Scandinavia, Switzerland,
Australia, Taiwan, Zimbabwe, Zambia, S. Africa, Canada, New Zealand.

DEVELOPMENT/ GROWTH FACTORS

- Easy access – there is an extensive network of tarred roads in the national parks, tourists
travel by air and railway to and within S. Africa.
- There is plenty of comfortable accommodation offered by hotels, guest farms, guest
houses, chalets, bungalows, cottages, huts, rest camps and lodges.
- There are standard services – good food and safe clean water is provided throughout the
country.
- There are numerous unspotted national parks, view sites, picnic spots and many other
attractions.
- Large sums of money have been invested in the tourism industry by the South African
Tourism board.
- The country is well advertised in America, Europe, UK, Middle east, Japan, etc.
- Most foreign national are exempt from VISA requirements e.g. Americans, Europeans,
Australians, Japanese, Irish, etc.
- There are car hire facilities and several car rental firms to take the tourist around.
- Improved air lines e.g. South Africa Airways.

• Disadvantages and Advantages as generally discussed earlier.

- The department of Tourism in SA promotes tourism e.g. railway lines run south Africa
railway (SAR).
- It mountains 11 national tourist bureaus offering tourist information.

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 - The hotel board manages hotels, advices and assist tourist.

KENYA

ATTRACTIONS-
- National parks and game reserves e.g. Tsavo, Masai Mara, Amboseli Aberddres, Mt.
Kenya, Meru, Samburu, marsabit Li Nauru mt Elgon etc.
- Kenya has 40 national parks covering 10% of its total area.
- Marine national parks near Mombasa and Malindi.
- Mountains such as Kenya, Elgon which have glacier caps.
- Wildlife such as elephants, lions, Cheetah, Zebra, Buffalo, Leopard, wild dog, Hyena etc.
- Historical sites e.g. fort Jesus and other Museums.
- Birds such as flamingoes, different types of vultures thornbill, fishing owl etc.
- Photographic safaris and handcrafts – cottage.
- Sunny climate and traditional ways of life e.g. The Boma Dance in Kenya.
- Sandy beaches which provide facilities for swimming and other water sports.
Beaches include Diama beach with 13 hotels, mombasa, Malindi and Lamu.
- Entertainment sports e.g. golf, Cinemas.
- The Masai themselves are a tourist attraction.
- Craft industry products e.g mats, wood carvings etc.
- Coral reefs along the coasts.

DEVELOPMENT/ GROWTH FACTORS

- Kenya has many hotels, camping sites, lodges.
- Kenya has the most developed infrastructure in east Africa e.g. extensive network of
tarmac roads especially in central low lands and western province.
- Railway lines cover a total of 2630kilometers.
- Kenya airways provides domestic flights supplemented by small air charter companies and
tour operators.
- Kenya has about 30 international airlines landing at Jomo Kenyanta International airport
Moi, Mombasa, Malindi airports.
- Numerous attractions and nearness to Europe.

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SOURCES OF TOURISTS
UK, USA, GERMANY, SWITZERLAND, Australia, etc.

RECENT PROBLEMS FACING TOURISM IN KENYA

- The Masai complain of being over photographed.
- The ban on the sale of elephant task and Rhino horns as a conservation measure has
caused division in the country.
- Some tourist have been attacked by bandits or killed and hotels have been bombed.
- Plastics, bottles, beer/ soft drinks and canes have been thrown about in game parks and
game reserves thereby littering the environment.
- The use of helicopters to count animals disturbs wild animals and birds.
- Rapid spread of HIV/ AIDS.
- Political and tribal conflicts scare tourists away.

• Other general problems or disadvantages as discussed earlier.

BENEFITS OF TOURISM
- Source of Foreign exchange .g. US$ 432 million in 1989.
- Provides employment e.g. hotel staff, tour operators etc.
- Support other domestic industries e.g. food production, craft industry, brewing, etc.
- Source of income e.g. international conferences at Kenya International Conference Centre
bring in a lot of money.
- Development of sites and infrastructure.

Author: C.I. Chilukusha (Mrs), Munali Girls School 2008.

For the iSchool Project www.ischool.zm.

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