Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls

Cattle grazing and crop cultivation have been reported to be well established within the property (UNEP-WCMC, 2012), but no further information is available.

The population and infrastructure of the towns of Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and Livingstone (Zambia), bordering the property, are expanding rapidly without adequate planning (States Parties of Zambia/Zimbabwe, 2012). The population of nearby Livingstone, Zambia, increased for example, 103,288 in 2000 to 139,509 in 2010 (Zambia Central Statistical Office, 2015). That States Parties have also reported that "the Victoria Falls Municipality is looking into developing its current stand measuring 7.86 ha located within the centre of the town into mixed use developments that will have a state of the art Civic Centre, Theme park, Conference Centre , Shopping mall and a 5 star hotel." (States Parties of Zambia/Zimbabwe, 2018, Section 4.4.1, p.12). The suitability of such developments, particularly a theme park immediately adjacent to the property is questionable. It is unclear whether these projects have undergone full and proper impact assessments, which fully consider the values of the site and their potential negative impact upon them. 

The destination has a reputation for tourist ‘adventure activities' with white-water rafting, bungee-jumping, abseiling and a gorge swing all in operation (UNEP-WCMC, 2012). More than a decade ago, around 40 river cruise boats were estimated to be operating from the Zimbabwean shore above the falls (UNESCO and IUCN, 2006), which can be assumed to have increased further today. There are also jet-boats, micro-light aircraft and many helicopters operating tourism flights overhead. In addition to associated infrastructure developments many of these activities cause direct disturbance to wildlife and sensitive habitats above and below the Falls, as well as creating excessive noise pollution (and other pollution concerns) and generally impinging on the aesthetic values of the property (UNESCO and IUCN, 2006). A study conducted in 2013/2014 found no signs of taita falcon at Batoka Gorge, where signs were previously common (Jenkins et al., 2019). Although the reasons for the decline are unknown, speculative explanations include excessive disturbance from adventure tourism and helicopter, as well as growth in rural human population (ibid.) and invasive species (AWHF, 2015). 

The site is bisected by a road and rail transport corridor which crosses the gorge immediately below the Falls over the Victoria Falls Bridge (built 1904-5). Whilst the Bridge has become a tourist attraction in its own right, associated with this corridor is an unsightly collection of fences and buildings, including the Zambian customs and immigration services (UNEP-WCMC, 2012). Further infrastructure within the site includes the power station and its ancillary buildings on the north bank (built late 1930s, significantly expanded in 1960s and '70s).

A 60MW hydro-electric power station on the Zambian side of the falls requires 175 m3/s to operate at full capacity, representing a considerable proportion of the Zambezi’s total flow during the drier months (flow rates below 400m3/s are usual from early September to mid-December) (States Parties of  Zambia/Zimbabwe, 2012). Ongoing monitoring of water flow of the Zambezi River upstream of the fall showed a decline over recent years, with climate change attributed as a causitive factor (States Parties of Zambia/ Zimbabwe, 2016; 2018). 

Noise pollution from sightseeing helicopter tours and micro-light aircraft carrying visitors to view the Falls from above significantly impact across the whole site and the surrounding area, compromising the wilderness qualities of the site and its aesthetic value. Sunset party boats operating on the upper river also cause localised noise pollution and disturbance issues. As many as 40 river cruise boats operate from the Zimbabwean shore above the falls (UNESCO and IUCN, 2006) and nine helicopters were reported to be operating at the site in 2007 (UNESCO, 2010), with updated information not readily available. An increasing number of lodges upstream of the Falls reportedly now have helipads and operators offering increasing number of services including flying through sections of the gorge creation huge noise disturbances (IUCN Consultation, 2020). 

Tourist and municipal wastes, including sewage, are polluting both land and water (UNEP-WCMC, 2012). The main sewage ponds for the municipality of Livingstone require rehabilitation and are leaking untreated sewage into the property (States Parties of Zambia/Zimbabwe, 2012). The power station complex within the property is reported to collect and dispose of all domestic and facility wastes (including oil) outside the property, but there is clearly a risk of leakages (States Parties of Zambia/Zimbabwe, 2012). Articles from 2010 report of the Victoria Falls municipality dumping raw sewage into the Zambezi River (Newsday, 2010). There must also be a risk of small-scale but regular pollution incidents from the many tourism operations and motor-launches operational on the river.

Poaching has been reported as a threat in the past (States Parties of Zambia/Zimbabwe, 2012). There is a lack of detailed data on current poaching activities affecting large megafauna and other species in the site at present. It is possible that the closure of tourism and therefore loss of employment in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased poaching, but no data are available at present. Illegal fishing from the river reportedly occurs on both sides of the river above and below the Falls (IUCN Consultation, 2020). Illegal removal of trees for wood is notable across the whole site, driven by economic issues (and regular power outages) with residents collecting for firewood as well as for carving curios (idem).

Lantana camara is spreading aggressively and has colonized the cliff faces in the Falls and gorges (States Parties of Zambia/Zimbabwe, 2012). In additional to the visual intrusion of this invasive species, Lanatana camara has also been reported to be impacting on the nesting sites of taita falcon (AWHF, 2015). Water hyacinth is also present and may be obstructing water channels above the falls. The States Parties, with the support of local environmental charities and tourism operators, have been continuing efforts to control these species (States Parties of Zambia/Zimbabwe, 2016, 2018). For example, both the chemical and mechanical methods have been used to control the spread of Lantana camara, with more than 70%, out of the 5.24km2 trans-boundary invaded area cleared to date (States Parties of Zambia/Zimbabwe, 2016; 2018).

There are several hotels, restaurants, visitor centres, camps, boat moorings and other tourism facilities within the property (UNEP-WCMC, 2012), and a controversial new 160-room 5-star hotel and conference facility within the property was at an advanced stage of planning in 2006 (UNESCO and IUCN, 2006). A tethered balloon project was also under consideration at the same time. A short-term moratorium on such developments was imposed in 2007, but had been lifted by 2008 (UNESCO, 2008). In 2017 a proposal for a Ferris wheel on Eastern Cataract Island and a hotel in the development zone was communicated by Zambia. These were confirmed not to have materialized in the 2018 report, however, pressure from tourism is clearly on the increase. In 2020, media articles reported of land within the WH site being sold off to Chinese developer for the construction of a separate Ferris Wheel (The Mast, 2020). The Committee has urged the States Parties to abandon proposals from the outset, which are clearly incompatible with the conservation of the property's OUV and the approved Joint Integrated Management Plan 2016-2021, such as a cable car within the property or a tourism resort and a golf course within the buffer zone of the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park (WH Committee, 2019). No official updates from the States Parties are available on the status of these developments, but any indication to proceed would be cause for great concern and would be contrary to the WH Committee's Decisions.

Severe drought in 2001/2 decimated the park’s fauna (UNEP-WCMC, 2012). 2019/2020 also saw significantly lower than average dry season river flow levels linked to lower rainfall across the wider catchment.