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The red lechwe of Busanga Plain, Zambia — a conservation success

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2009

G. W. Howard
Affiliation:
Kafue Basin Research Project, University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia
H. N. Chabwela
Affiliation:
National Parks and Wildlife Service, Private Bag 1, Chilanga, Zambia
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When the Kafue National Park was established in 1950 the northern boundary was drawn to include the Busanga Plain, where there was a small population of red lechwe, much reduced by hunting. The effect of the protection was striking: numbers began to increase immediately and by 1973 there were 2000 individuals. In 1985 the authors conducted censuses to establish how the antelopes had fared in the intervening years. Their findings reveal just how successful the conservation measures have been.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Fauna and Flora International 1987

References

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