The Chizarira Protection Area has the Chizarira National Park at its core. Chirisa Safari area is continguous to the Chizarira southern boundary, and Chete lies on the Lake Kariba shoreline. The Sijarira Forest Land is continguous with the western boundary of the Chete Safari Area. The National Park is almost 2 000 kmsq, while the Safari Areas total almost 3 500 kmsq. Sijarira Forest Land is 258 kmsq.
Landform, Geology & Soils
The Chizarira Protection Area is dominated by the Zambezi escarpment which forms the boundary between the higher miombo areas and the Zambezi valley. Chizarira NP forms a watershed between Sengwa River and more localised drainage basins feeding into Lake Kariba.
Water Resources
Sengwa, Mucheni, Ruzuruhuru Rivers, Lake Kariba, Numerous pans and springs in Chirisa.
Climate and Vegetation
The lower lying areas adjacent to Lake Kariba are hot and dry usually with less than 600 mm rain per annum. Rainfall in the higher areas (Chizarira and Chirisa) can be as high as 800 mm per annum. However, this is very variable and in most years rainfall measures closer to 600 mm.
Vegetation cover in the area is largely determined by elevation. The highlands of the Chizarira NP are mainly Brachystegia- Julbernardia woodland and mixed deciduous open woodland and wooded grasslands. Common associates are Diplorhynchus, Bukea and Diospyros.
The lower lying areas adjacent to Lake Kariba, parts of the Chizarira NP and the Chirisa SA are predominately Mopane woodlands (Colophospermum mopane) with Balanites, Erythroxylum, Ximenia and Acacia being common.
Wildlife
The area contains a full spectrum of large mammals. The Chete SA was famous for its rhino population in the 1970s
and equally famous for its subsequent decline. The lakeshore areas support some spectacular crocodile populations with the Sinamwenda, Ruziruhuru and Senkwi river estuaries being their main breeding areas.
Neighbours
Outside the protected areas the main communal lands are the Manjolo, Siabuwa and Gokwe CLs. To the south and west of Chirisa SA are the Busi and Kana communal lands.
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