Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information See Box and Table 3 for key species. Besides the large number of Zambezian biome endemics, the miombo avifauna includes species such as Pachycoccyx audeberti, Anthus caffer and Elminia albicauda, and both Stactolaema anchietae and S. whytii occur. Along the rivers Scotopelia peli, Podica senegalensis and Alcedo semitorquata are regular, and Circaetus cinerascens, Musophaga rossae, Merops boehmi and Nectarinia verticalis are regular in and around most forest. A wide variety of waterbirds are found. Grus carunculatus is resident, Egretta vinaceigula and Balaeniceps rex are rare visitors, Circus macrourus occurs in small numbers and Falco naumanni is probably regular on passage.

Site description Run by the Kasanka Trust, this was the first National Park to be privately managed and is entirely reliant on independent funding. It is situated to the west of the Serenje–Samfya road. Miombo dominates the area, but amongst the broad range of other habitats are an unusually high number of lakes (pans), some Cyperus papyrus swamp, dambo, mushitu, riparian forest and a few patches of dry evergreen forest. There are good tourist facilities and the park’s attractions include a tree-hide for viewing sitatunga Tragelaphus spekii which has been built 18 m up in a large mululu tree Khaya nyasica.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Kafinda	Game Management Area	386,000	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Kasanka	National Park	39,000	is identical to site	39,000

Habitats

Land use

Other biodiversity A wide variety of mammals occur, including Tragelaphus spekii (LR/nt) and Cephalophus silvicultor (LR/nt). There is an enormous seasonal influx of the migratory fruit bat Eidolon helvum. Reptiles include the most southerly known population of Crocodylus cataphractus (DD).

Management considerations Since being privately managed, the park has been actively protected and there are probably no threats to the birdlife.

References Clarke and Loe (1974), Farmer (1992).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Kasanka National Park. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/05/2013

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