A wildlife conservation success story

Meet Sango

Our Mission

Demonstrate the viability of a large-scale rewilding model, combining biodiversity protection, climate change mitigation, and community empowerment, and replicate it across Zimbabwe and Southern Africa.

Our Model

From a dreamlike vision to a proven conservation model

When Sango was acquired in 1992, more than a century of intensive cattle ranching had left its soils depleted, its vegetation degraded, and much of its wildlife in decline. Under the vision of its owner, Wilfried Pabst, the landscape was gradually restored through science-based rewilding, long-term stewardship, and collaboration with neighbouring communities.

Today, nearly 60,000 hectares of savanna, woodland, wetlands, and riverine ecosystems have been restored, home to thriving populations of black rhinos, African wild dogs, and many other native species. As part of the Savé Valley Conservancy and the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, we aim to leverage the power of large-scale rewilding to restore ecological resilience.

"What began as a dreamlike vision is now a proven conservation model, demonstrating that when science, community partnership, and long-term stewardship come together, nature can recover, and both people and ecosystems benefit from it."

A sanctuary for Africas iconic wildlife

Some of Sango's key Species

OUR HISTORY

Sango, untamed since 1993

More than a century of intensive cattle ranching leads to severe land degradation, soil exhaustion, loss of native vegetation, and decline of endemic wildlife.

- Bankruptcy of the Devuli Cattle

- Acquisition of Sango by Wilfried Pabst, with a clear and ambitious vision: to restore this degraded landscape and allow a self-sustaining ecosystem to emerge once again.

- Establishment of Sango Wildlife Conservancy (SWC).

- Initiation of ecosystem restoration activities, including the dismantling of cattle infrastructure.

- Identification of the first historically significant cultural sites on the property.

- Signature of the German–Zimbabwean Investment Promotion and Protection Treaty, ensuring secure land ownership and enabling conservation planning over generational timescales.

- Legal framework established to secure long-term land ownership and conservation management at Sango.

Zimbabwe experiences a 20% decline in woodland cover, reinforcing the importance of secure conservation areas such as Sango.

Reintroduction of lions from Malilangwe Reserve into the Savé Valley Conservancy.

- Reintroduction of white rhinos from Malilangwe Reserve into the Savé Valley Conservancy.

- Accelerated recovery of ecological processes and wildlife populations following species reintroductions.

- Gradual regeneration of savanna, woodland, and wetland ecosystems.

- Growth of populations of threatened and endangered species, including black rhinos and African wild dogs.

- Expansion of community partnerships focused on education, sustainable livelihoods, and human–wildlife coexistence.

- Sango’s carbon stock is assessed and certified to 8.5 million tons of carbon in the vegetation and soils, and in the process of being certified B Corp and IUCN Green List.

- Protection of approximately 10% of Zimbabwe’s black and white rhino population and a significant share of Africa’s remaining 6,500 black rhinos.

Documentation of more than 24 cultural heritage sites dating back to nomadic populations up to the 16th century, depicting human figures, animals, and spiritual symbols, connecting today’s conservation landscape to a much older history of human presence.

Pre-1992

1992

1993

1995

1991–2008 (National context)

2005

2006

2000s–2010s

Present Day

Our Team

The Implementation Team