A Bird Paradise

Best known for the unique Kafue Lechwe, a semi-aquatic antelope, the bird life of the Kafue Flats is spectacular, with 470 species identified so far, including White and Pink backed pelicans, Goliath herons, Spur-winged geese and the largest African Population of the endangered Wattled Crane.

The Amazing Antelopes of the Kafue

The river and wetland also support hippos, crocodiles, and Sitatunga, a marsh antelope.
Bigger than the lechwe, the sitatunga spends much of its time grazing reeds and other water-plants in the swamps. It too has hooves beautifully adapted or walking on boggy ground and it can swim and even totally submerge itself when startled, leaving just its nostrils sticking out. At night-time male sitatungas will posture and “horn” the ground when they meet each other. They also bark at each other…

In the dryer areas are several herds of zebra. 33 Zebra and 130 impala were  translocated to the MCA from Mosi-au-Tunya National Park

The Kafue lechwe is the region’s most famous animal as it lives only in the Kafue Flats and nowhere else. Lechwe is an old Bantu name for antelope and the Kafue lechwe is one of three different races of lechwe or marsh antelope which live specifically in swamps and wetlands. The hooves of the Kafue lechwe are long and wide-spreading which enables the animal to move easily on marshy ground. Indeed the Kafue lechwe is far more at home wading through half a metre of water than stumbling across dry land – and it’s also an excellent swimmer.

Future Plans

Additional plans include the introduction of several antelope, hippo, black rhino, and endangered bird species; the Shoebill Stork would thrive in this habitat.