Victoria Falls Rainforest Access Restricted
Access to the Victoria Falls Rainforest has been temporarily suspended after wildlife officials reported an elephant moving through the site, prompting an immediate public notice from the country’s parks authority.
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) said on Tuesday that the restriction was introduced as a precautionary step to protect visitors, staff and the animal itself, and to lower the risk of any confrontation between people and wildlife.
In a statement, the authority said its teams were monitoring the situation closely and would notify the public as soon as it was safe to reopen the site.
Victoria Falls, one of the world’s largest waterfalls and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, draws large numbers of tourists throughout the year, many of whom walk through the surrounding rainforest for close-up views of the falls.
The area’s dense vegetation and proximity to the Zambezi River also make it a route regularly used by wildlife, including elephants moving between feeding grounds.
ZimParks has told members of the public not to enter the restricted zone, approach the elephant or interfere with the wildlife management operation under way.
Tour operators and visitors already in the area have been asked to follow instructions from ZimParks personnel and other officials on site.
The authority said it remained committed to balancing visitor safety with the conservation of the country’s wildlife, and that further updates would be shared through its official communication channels.
Elephant encounters near Victoria Falls are not unusual given the park’s location along established wildlife corridors, though temporary closures of this kind are typically short-lived, lasting only until rangers confirm the animal has moved on or the situation has been brought under control.