Big Game Hunting Area

The Hwange Colliery Hunting Concession is a designated hunting area located near Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest and most ecologically significant protected area. This concession operates within the boundaries of the Hwange Colliery Company’s land, which is primarily known for coal mining but also manages a portion of land dedicated to wildlife management and controlled hunting. The concession is a key component of Zimbabwe’s broader strategy to integrate land use practices, including mining, conservation, and sustainable hunting.

Ecologically, the Hwange Colliery Hunting Concession shares many of the same species and habitats as Hwange National Park, including savannah grasslands, woodlands, and waterholes that attract a wide range of wildlife. The concession is home to a variety of game species, including elephants, buffalo, lions, leopards, and various plains game like impala, kudu, and zebra. These species, particularly the "Big Five," make the concession a desirable location for trophy hunting.

Hunting in the Hwange Colliery Concession is regulated by Zimbabwe’s Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to ensure sustainable use of wildlife resources. Strict quotas are enforced, with scientific assessments guiding the number of animals that can be legally hunted each year. This approach helps maintain healthy wildlife populations and prevents over-exploitation. Additionally, hunting operators within the concession are required to adhere to ethical practices, ensuring that hunting activities are conducted responsibly and in line with conservation goals.

The revenue generated from hunting in the Hwange Colliery Concession supports both conservation and local communities. Funds are allocated to anti-poaching efforts, habitat restoration, and wildlife monitoring programs. Furthermore, the concession provides economic benefits to the surrounding communities by creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and funding community development projects such as schools and healthcare facilities. These efforts align with Zimbabwe’s community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) principles, which seek to ensure that local populations directly benefit from wildlife conservation and sustainable land use practices.

Overall, the Hwange Colliery Hunting Concession represents an example of how multiple land-use activities, such as mining and hunting, can coexist in a way that promotes wildlife conservation, economic development, and community well-being. The concession plays an important role in supporting Zimbabwe’s efforts to balance natural resource extraction with biodiversity preservation and sustainable tourism.