The President of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, on October 17, 2024 baptized a leopard in the Niassa Special Reserve (NSR) with the name of "Dr. Legacy", during the celebrations of the 70 years of the Niassa Special Reserve, the oldest conservation area in Mozambique. The historic milestone celebration for Niassa Special Reserve was attended by Her Excellency, the Minister of Land and Environment, Ivete Joaquim Maibaze, Her Excellency, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Eldevina Materula, and Her Excellency, the Governor of Niassa, Elina Judite da Rosa Victor Massengele, Her Excellency, the State Secretary of Niassa, Lina da Silva Portugal, among other dignitaries. Over 600 participants attended, including representatives from ANAC, WCS, the local community, provincial and district governments, operators, and other partners.
With this act, the President of Mozambique completed the cycle of placing telemetric monitoring collars on emblematic species, with the aim of enhancing the value of fauna, promoting coexistence and reducing poaching, and the human-wildlife conflict.
President Nyusi putting the collar on “Dr. Legacy” with the support of Samuel Bilério, vet of the Niassa Special Reserve
With the placing of the collar on the leopard "Dr. Legacy", the "club of friends of the President" increases in species since President Nyusi had already placed collars on “Mr. President” and “Mr. Gentleman” (both Elephants from the Niassa Special Reserve), on “Mr. Reconciliation” (Buffalo of the Zinave National Park), in “Princess Innocent “(Rhino of the Zinave National Park), on “Mister Peace” and on “Madam Peace” (a Lion and a Lioness of the Gorongosa National Park).
WCS Mozambique Country Director, Afonso Madope in his remarks at the event, noted that the placement of the collar on the leopard is not only the result of several decades of effort to conserve the biodiversity of NSR, but also signals the commitment of WCS and partners in the future of NSR.
Afonso Madope, WCS Mozambique Country Director
Since 2020, WCS, in partnership with the Ministry of Land and Environment, has implemented the General Management Plan (GMP) to guide the sustainable management of NSR in the coming years. In addition, WCS is currently undertaking an aerial survey of the Reserve that will provide trends in large mammal populations and estimates of their population sizes.
The Minister of Land and Environment, Ivete Maibaze, acknowledged the efforts by WCS in the Reserve who observed that the unconditional support given by the WCS was fundamental to the success of the event itself and for the Mozambican people.
WCS investments in NSR have benefited wildlife protection and socio-economic development for the communities living within and around the reserve. WCS is working closely with the Government of Mozambique to, among other things, strengthen the management capacity of the Niassa Special Reserve; strengthen the financial support for NSR development (such as infrastructure and means of transport); reinforce and build the technical capacity of the management team; NSR sustainability by promoting tourism; strengthening enforcement and education operations; promoting good practices for the sustainable use of resources by local communities; and promoting human development.