The Zimbabwean government said Tuesday that it is considering a local company’s application to explore the land in the World Heritage-listed Mana Pools National Park in the north for oil and gas.
The mining company Shalom Mining has applied for a license to prospect for soil at the pristine tourist site near the Zambian border, according to a notice published in the Official Gazette. “The applicant intends to explore for oil and natural gas in the area,” according to the document, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.
Classified as a world heritage site by UNESCO, the Mana Pools reserve covers 6,766 km2. It is home to “a remarkable concentration of wildlife,” including elephants, buffalo, leopards, cheetahs and Nile crocodiles, according to the United Nations. The search for natural resources could drive tourists away and scare wildlife into nearby villages, warned Farai Maguwu, a respected Zimbabwean conservationist, contacted by AFP by phone.
The project goes against the “national interest” of Zimbabwe, he denounced, saying he was “shocked” that the government was considering granting such a license. Challenges to Shalom Mining’s project can be filed with a government mining board until May 19, according to the Official Gazette.
