Gorongosa

After a long history of poaching and uncontrolled hunting in Gorongosa National Park, the now recovering populations of animals are beginning to settle down. Yesterday some elephant were seen near Chitengo, a clear sign that they are becoming more comfortable with the presence of humans. Historical figures show that, for instance, the elephant population plunged to a mere 5 to 10% during those troubled years and other animal populations such as the buffalo, zebra, eland, sable, wildebeest, lion etc suffered a similar or worse fate. Now, a team lead by American Philanthropist, Greg Carr, have embarked upon an ambitious project to restore the Greater Gorongosa Ecosystem to its former glory. I have heard it boasted that this park once had one of the highest wildlife population densities in the world.

The groundwork has been laid by experts and now the challenge is being transfered, in the main, to Mozambiqueans to whom the remainder of this daunting task now falls. It will be a test of the capacity of a people who only recently came through many years of strife, emerging finally as a nation with enormous potential but lacking in experienced and trained people. As a people, they are fiercly proud of their heritage and hold a strong conviction that they now possess the expertise to succeed. It is only fitting that those Mozambiquans who have the qualifications get the jobs on offer, in whichever industry, before the expatriates. My only concerne is that some jobs require a passion that goes beyond being patriotic. Such passions are often passed on from mentor to apprentice and mentoring is an integral part of the process in which young people develop into mature, responsible adults who are expert in any given field.

This project not only includes the flora and fauna, but also the people, mostly consisting of small-scale farming communities, who live around the park. The sheer scale and complexity of the project can leave one gasping and confused, but fortunately the project is blessed with a handful of people who understand that a 'bit by bit' approach is the way forward.

Good luck, good people and may the 'Nature Bug' bite you all!!