WZ08 - Liuwa Plains National Park
3m 46s
This remote park in the far west is pristine wilderness, which, to the ardent bush-lover, is its biggest attraction, and the rewards are great indeed.
The game is spread out across the plains and takes some driving around to find, but to come upon a vast herd of blue wildebeest, a prowling wild dog, or a pride of dozing lions in this forgotten piece of Africa is especially fitting because of its completely natural and uncommercialised state.
The birdlife is abundant and the very dramatic storms and lightning rising up on the horizon, contrasting with the green and gold grasslands, create spectacular views and fantastic photographic opportunities.
Liuwa Plain National Park is home to Lady Liuwa, a Southwest African lioness (Panthera leo bleyenberghi) the subject of Aquavision's documentary, “The Last Lioness." Following the turmoil of the Angolan civil war, poaching and illegal trophy hunting decimated the lion population in the park; leaving but one, Lady Liuwa. For years Lady Liuwa lived alone, roaming Liuwa Plain without a pride. While on assignment documenting spotted hyenas in 2005, filmmaker Herbert Brauer developed a relationship with the isolated lioness.
African Parks, who maintain Liuwa Plain National Park, decided to re-establish the lion population and bring an end to Lady Liuwa’s solitude. The first attempt to bring a single male lion from nearby Kafue National Park to Liuwa Plain resulted in tragedy, with the male dying after choking on regurgitated vomit. In May 2009, two male lions were successfully relocated from Kafue National Park to Liuwa Plain.