Niassaland Safaris Opens Mosale Reserve Hunting Area in Mozambique

In Mozambique, Graham Cawood and Pete Swanepoel of Niassaland Safaris tell me they are ready to take hunters to their newest hunting concession, the Mosale Private Reserve. You'll recall subscriber Mike Daly's report in the December issue on an exploratory-type hunt Cawood and Swanepoel operated in a newly opened area in Tete Province. Daly took an excellent lion and raved about the area's potential as a trophy hunting area. In my follow-up with Swanepoel, he told me they had picked up another area that should prove even better and would be online for hunting this season. That would be Mosale. Here's what Swanepoel told me about the area when I caught up with him at the Safari Club International Convention in Las Vegas this past February. The area lies in the Niassa Province and was created by the Malonda Foundation, a private nonprofit and public utility promoting and facilitating private sector development in Niassa. Malonda is a cooperative agreement between the Government of Mozambique and the Swedish government. Mosale was previously an ecotourism venture focused on photo safaris. This season it will be hunted by a safari operator for the first time.

Mosale encompasses 270,000 acres just off the southern point of the Niassa Reserve straddling the Lugenda River. When I saw Swanepoel at the SCI convention in February, he told me they had just signed the contracts for the property. During their reconnaissance of the area, he says their anti-poaching scout actually showed his partner what should be a 100-pound elephant, plus herds of buffalo and lots of sable. Neighboring concessions have taken quality lions. Because of the anti-poaching efforts previously done, he says game numbers are very good. They are offering some exploratory-style hunts to their first clients this season at a reduced rate. If all is as Swanepoel says, Mosale should produce some excellent trophies this season.

Another interesting tidbit from Niassaland Safaris is that they are submitting a proposal to the government to issue a quota for roan. Roan is currently not huntable anywhere in Mozambique, but Graham Cawood says they have a sustainable........(continued)