Conservation Efforts Bolster Leopard Populations on Matetsi Private Game Reserve

Wildlife and Communities, Thriving Together!

 Our mission at Grace Foundation is to nurture sustainable ecosystems where people and nature flourish side by side. Recent research from northwestern Zimbabwe shows how this vision is being realised, and today, Matetsi Private Game Reserve stands as a shining example of what happens when conservation is given the care and commitment it deserves: leopards are thriving.

The 2023 Zimbabwe National Leopard Monitoring Project, led by Panthera - Cat Conservation in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), assessed leopard density and distribution across Zambezi National Park and the northern Matetsi Safari Area, including Matetsi Private Game Reserve and the unrelated Matetsi Unit 6. The findings are striking: Matetsi recorded one of the highest leopard densities in Zimbabwe, approximately 3.11 leopards per 100 km².

This figure underscores Matetsi Private Game Reserve’s role as a conservation stronghold, where leopards are not only surviving but flourishing. Camera traps and spoor surveys revealed multiple resident males and females, with evidence of movement into Zambezi National Park. This connectivity is vital for long‑term metapopulation health and demonstrates the effectiveness of unfenced, well‑protected landscapes.

Why Matetsi Stands Out

The success of Matetsi Private Game Reserve is no accident. It is the result of the GRACE Foundation’s guiding philosophy that conservation must benefit both wildlife and people. The deliberate factors that make Matetsi Private Game Reserve stand out are : 

• Robust anti‑poaching patrols and community‑based enforcement
• Low‑impact, non‑consumptive tourism models that generate income without degrading habitats
• Rich prey availability and dense habitat cover support predator resilience
• Minimal human disturbance, ensuring ecosystems remain intact and productive

These conditions align directly with GRACE’s broader initiatives, from anti‑poaching units to water security projects. These are all designed to strengthen biodiversity while uplifting local communities.

Conservation That Benefits All

The positive results that are coming out of Matetsi Private Game Reserve highlight a crucial lesson: land use and active protection matter. Well-managed private and community conservation areas serve as anchors for wildlife populations, buffering them against external pressures and facilitating animal movement across landscapes.

For the GRACE Foundation, this is more than wildlife protection. It is about ecosystem services that underpin water security, tourism opportunities, community resilience, and cultural heritage. Every leopard, lion, or wild dog thriving in Matetsi Private Game Reserve represents not only biodiversity safeguarded, but also livelihoods strengthened.

Looking Ahead

This case study stands as living proof that strategic investments in protection, monitoring, and collaborative landscape management deliver measurable impact. Wildlife populations rebound, communities gain new opportunities, and ecosystems regain their vitality. These successes are not isolated; they are replicable, scalable, and transformative.

At GRACE, we remain steadfast in our mission to expand these achievements across Zimbabwe. By regenerating wildlife, empowering local communities, and safeguarding the nation’s natural heritage, we are building a legacy that will endure for generations. With continued support, we can ensure that Zimbabwe’s landscapes not only survive but flourish, becoming a beacon of conservation-led development for Africa and the world.