The hostage situation is fake news. The outfitter was interviewed and he said no hostages were taken but the camp was burned.
That's what I'm hearing too. No hostages nor deaths. I received the following below during the night, I believe this came from Jumbo Moore at Kambako Chapungu Safaris. This would be the L8 block.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 25, 2025
Two Decades of Conservation and Community Development Tested by Targeted Criminal Activity
Cabo Delgado Province, Niassa Special Reserve, Mozambique — In 2005, a group of dedicated conservation-minded investors set out on an ambitious mission: to transform a remote stretch of wilderness in northern Mozambique into a conservation hunting concession. Two decades later, that dream has grown into one of Mozambique’s leading safari operations — Kambako Safaris — a model for sustainable conservation and community development.
Working closely with the national conservation authority (ANAC), Kambako Safaris has spent the last 20 years restoring and managing vast wilderness concessions. Through careful wildlife monitoring, sustainable hunting practices, and continual reinvestment, the company has turned this remote landscape into one of Africa’s most sought-after destinations for conservation hunting.
The work has been exhaustive and often daunting. From constructing three remote luxury safari camps, building over 1,000 miles of roads, sinking nine wells, installing critical communication infrastructure, and carving four airstrips from the dense Miombo woodland — every effort has been grounded in commitment to conservation and community.
Kambako has been a lifeline for surrounding communities, employing over 120 villagers per year and providing food, building materials, and support to combat human-wildlife conflict. Thousands of kilograms of clean, processed meat from legally harvested game have been distributed annually to nearby villages, forming a vital nutritional and economic bridge.
Last season alone, direct economic benefits to surrounding communities totalled MZN 25,390,775.20 (approximately US$403,028). This includes wages, brick-making, road construction, bamboo supply, and other community-focused services. In terms of food support, 15,932.5 kg (35,115 lbs) of fresh meat were delivered to local villages and an additional 15,000 lbs of dried meat distributed to staff and their families.
But on Saturday, tragedy struck.
Kambako's main safari camp along the Lugenda River was targeted and looted by criminals. What wasn’t stolen — including fuel, food stores, protective clothing, and vehicles — was deliberately destroyed in a fire that razed the entire camp to the ground.
“In preparation for season, the camp had recently been stocked with the season's full supply of food and drink rations, as well as protective clothing, boots, hats, bedding, and staff uniforms,” said one of the founding partners. “All diesel and petrol tanks were full, including aviation fuel, and we had just received crucial equipment: vehicle and tractor tyres and spares, solar and inverter systems, new two-way radios, water pumps — everything needed to support a season of remote operations. The bandits would have seen our trucks passing through various villages on the way in and devised a plan to obtain these valuable supplies.”
“We’re still in shock,” he added. “It’s devastating to see 20 years of hard work and commitment to conservation and community wiped out in a single day. But this will not be the end of Kambako.”
The incident underscores the vulnerabilities faced by conservation operators in remote areas — not just from nature, but from opportunistic criminal activity. Despite the setback, the team behind Kambako remains resolute.
“We’ve overcome many challenges before, and we’ll rebuild again,” the partner added. “Our mission to protect this land, its wildlife, and to uplift the people who live here is far from over.”
