According to reports published in by Daily Nation in 2021, ullegal gold mining operations in Lower Zambezi National Park have created a dual crisis of environmental destruction and human exploitation. According to Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ) officials, these unauthorised mining activities are driving both deforestation and wildlife killing, as miners cut down trees to access minerals and hunt animals for sustenance. This environmental degradation threatens the park's ecosystem, which was established specifically for tourism and wildlife conservation. The miners themselves appear to be operating under desperate conditions – forced to hunt protected species for food while working in unregulated, likely hazardous mining conditions with no environmental or safety oversight. CLZ officials have emphasised the need for government intervention, having engaged both the previous administration and planning to address the issue with the new government. The case illustrates how illegal resource extraction in protected areas often involves exploitation of both vulnerable environments and vulnerable people, creating a complex challenge that requires addressing both conservation and human welfare concerns simultaneously.