As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Sunday 7 October 2012

Vast copper mine in Lower Zambezi put on hold

September 2012. The Zambian Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) has turned down a mining proposal at one of Zambia's key wildlife & important bird Areas (IBA) - Lower Zambezi. The proposal to mine eight million tonnes of copper ore per year was put forward by Mwembesi Resources Ltd, an Australian affiliated company. The project would involve development of the main pit at Kangaluwi and satellite pits at three other areas.

The lower Zambezi IBA is both, an Important Bird Area as well as a national park. Large numbers of water birds congregate, especially at drying ox bow lakes. Sandbanks are home to enormous numbers of Southern Carmine Bee-eater and smaller numbers of White-Fronted Bee-eater. The Miombo and Mopane woodlands hold a wide array of characteristic species. The Crested Guinea Fowl, African Pitta, White-throated Nicator, Somber Greenbul and Livingstone flycatcher inhabit the deciduous thickets. The Pallid Harrier is a rare passage migrant and non-breeding visitor.

Continued: http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/lower-zambezi-mine.html


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