Multispecies transboundary landscape connectivity in the KAZA TFCA
L L Sousa1,2,3, R Kotze4,5, L Fanikiso6
1Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. lara.sousa@biology.ox.ac.uk.
Scientific Reports
|July 6, 2026
Summary
Identifying wildlife dispersal areas (WDA) is crucial for conservation in the KAZA landscape. Multi-species corridor analysis is essential for effective land-use planning and human-wildlife coexistence.
Area of Science:
- Conservation Science
- Landscape Ecology
- Wildlife Management
Background:
- Effective land-use planning requires understanding wildlife movement and habitat connectivity.
- The Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area faces challenges from human development impacting wildlife dispersal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map multi-species wildlife corridors within the KAZA landscape for land-use planning.
- To identify critical wildlife dispersal areas (WDA) essential for seven key mammal species' connectivity.
Main Methods:
- Habitat suitability modeling using approximately 48,000 occurrence points from camera traps and spoor surveys.
- Ensemble modeling integrating data from various sources to create a multi-species connectivity layer.
- Analysis of core areas (KDE), corridors (LCP), and functional habitat to assess landscape connectivity.
Main Results:
- The central KAZA region (Okavango Delta, Chobe, Hwange) exhibits the most extensive, well-connected core habitat for multiple species.
- Connectivity is reduced towards Sebungwe, Angola, Namibia, and Kafue due to geographical barriers and human development.
- Significant suitable habitat exists outside protected areas, with certain WDAs proving vital for species connectivity.
Conclusions:
- No single species acts as an umbrella for identifying critical corridors; multi-species analysis is imperative.
- Conservation efforts in KAZA depend heavily on land use outside protected areas.
- Integrating multi-species corridors into land-use planning is vital for promoting human-wildlife coexistence.
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