Thuli Parks and Wildlife Land
Encyclopedia
Thuli Parks and Wildlife Land is a protected area in south-western Zimbabwe. It comprises four areas within the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Estate and covers the entire west bank of the Shashe River
within the Thuli Circle.
The protected area comprises the Thuli Safari Area, plus 3 small botanical reserves:
The four reserves are administered as a single unit, from the National Parks and Wildlife authority office on the east bank of the Shashe River - just outside the protected area and immediately south of the village of Tuli.
In terms of a memorandum signed on 22 June 2006, Thuli Parks and Wildlife Land forms the core of the conservation area that Zimbabwe shall contribute to the Limpopo-Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area.
and combretum
bush. The Shashe
valley, the park's eastern border, supports riverine vegetation such as Ficus
and Faidherbia
.
Animal life includes elephant
s, black rhinos, lion
, wild dog
, cheetah
and leopard
, many of which move freely between the protected area and neighbouring Botswana
and South Africa
.
. The underlying bedrock is Jurassic
basalt
, dated at 186.3 ± 1.2 Ma. The basalts fill a NNE-trending trough with inwardly-dipping lava flows, and a well-preserved volcanic caldera.
in 1890, and maintained as a supply base. In the 1970s this building was re-located to the current site, Tuli.
Shashe Wilderness Camp, operated by the Wildlife and Environment Zimbabwe (formerly Zimbabwe Wildlife Society), is located just north of the park headquarters.
via Nottingham Estate, or from Gwanda
via Guyu
and Hwali. On each access route, much of the distance is over poor roads, and four wheel drive may be required. Four wheel drive is essentially for crossing the Shashe River
to access the park. There is an earth airstrip at Tuli.
The canoe trip along the Shashe River can be recommended
Thuli Safari Area is currently operated through hunting concessions.
Shashe River
The Shashe River is a major left-bank tributary of the Limpopo River in Zimbabwe.It rises northwest of Francistown, Botswana and flows into the Limpopo River where Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa meet, site of the Shalimpo Transfrontier Conservation Area.- Hydrology :The Shashe River is a...
within the Thuli Circle.
The protected area comprises the Thuli Safari Area, plus 3 small botanical reserves:
- Pioneer Botanical Reserve, area of 0.38 km2
- South Camp Botanical Reserve, area of 0.26 km2
- Tolo River Botanical Reserve, area of 0.44 km2
The four reserves are administered as a single unit, from the National Parks and Wildlife authority office on the east bank of the Shashe River - just outside the protected area and immediately south of the village of Tuli.
History of the Park
Thuli (Tuli) Safari Area was proclaimed in 1975. Prior to that date (from 1958), it was a controlled hunting area.In terms of a memorandum signed on 22 June 2006, Thuli Parks and Wildlife Land forms the core of the conservation area that Zimbabwe shall contribute to the Limpopo-Shashe Transfrontier Conservation Area.
Features
Flora and fauna
Most of the Thuli area is scrubland, with MopaneMopane
The mopane or mopani tree grows in hot, dry, low-lying areas, in elevation, in the far northern parts of southern Africa, into South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Angola and Malawi. The tree only occurs in Africa and is the only species in genus Colophospermum...
and combretum
Combretum
The bushwillows or combretums, Combretum, make up the type genus of the family Combretaceae. The genus comprises about 370 species of trees and shrubs, roughly 300 of which are native to tropical and southern Africa, about 5 to Madagascar, some 25 to tropical Asia and approximately 40 to tropical...
bush. The Shashe
Shashe River
The Shashe River is a major left-bank tributary of the Limpopo River in Zimbabwe.It rises northwest of Francistown, Botswana and flows into the Limpopo River where Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa meet, site of the Shalimpo Transfrontier Conservation Area.- Hydrology :The Shashe River is a...
valley, the park's eastern border, supports riverine vegetation such as Ficus
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
and Faidherbia
Faidherbia
Faidherbia is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the sub family Mimosoideae....
.
Animal life includes elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s, black rhinos, lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
, wild dog
African Wild Dog
Lycaon pictus is a large canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or ornate wolf...
, cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
and leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
, many of which move freely between the protected area and neighbouring Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Geography and geology
The protected area comprises a flat landscape, giving way to rugged hilly terrain near the Shashe RiverShashe River
The Shashe River is a major left-bank tributary of the Limpopo River in Zimbabwe.It rises northwest of Francistown, Botswana and flows into the Limpopo River where Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa meet, site of the Shalimpo Transfrontier Conservation Area.- Hydrology :The Shashe River is a...
. The underlying bedrock is Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
, dated at 186.3 ± 1.2 Ma. The basalts fill a NNE-trending trough with inwardly-dipping lava flows, and a well-preserved volcanic caldera.
Archaeological, historical and cultural sites
A large Fort (Fort Tuli) existed in the center of the protected area, where in the 1890s oxen and horses were rested prior to crossing the Shashe River. The fort was established by the Pioneer ColumnPioneer Column
The Pioneer Column was a force raised by Cecil Rhodes and his British South Africa Company in 1890 and used in his efforts to annex the territory of Mashonaland, later part of Southern Rhodesia ....
in 1890, and maintained as a supply base. In the 1970s this building was re-located to the current site, Tuli.
Accommodations and camping
Camping sites exist at the head office and within the safari area. There are no hotels or self-catering accommodation.Shashe Wilderness Camp, operated by the Wildlife and Environment Zimbabwe (formerly Zimbabwe Wildlife Society), is located just north of the park headquarters.
Access
Road access is via the village of Tuli, which can be reached from BeitbridgeBeitbridge
Beitbridge or Mzingwane is a border town in the province of Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe. The name also refers to the border post and bridge spanning the Limpopo River, which forms the political border between South Africa and Zimbabwe.-Background:...
via Nottingham Estate, or from Gwanda
Gwanda
Gwanda is the capital of the province of Matabeleland South in Zimbabwe. It is located on the Bulawayo-Beitbridge road and railway. Gwanda was founded in 1900. According to the 1982 Population Census, the town had a population of 4,874...
via Guyu
Guyu
The traditional East Asian calendars divide a year into 24 solar terms . Gǔyù or more commonly pronounced as Gǔyǔ, or Kokuu is the 6th solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 30° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 45°...
and Hwali. On each access route, much of the distance is over poor roads, and four wheel drive may be required. Four wheel drive is essentially for crossing the Shashe River
Shashe River
The Shashe River is a major left-bank tributary of the Limpopo River in Zimbabwe.It rises northwest of Francistown, Botswana and flows into the Limpopo River where Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa meet, site of the Shalimpo Transfrontier Conservation Area.- Hydrology :The Shashe River is a...
to access the park. There is an earth airstrip at Tuli.
The canoe trip along the Shashe River can be recommended
Thuli Safari Area is currently operated through hunting concessions.