A Spatial Analysis of Habitat Connectivity in Simalaha Community Conservancy of Zambia

Abstract Landscape ecology and conservation are essential for supporting biodiversity, particularly for migratory species. However, increasing habitat fragmentation continues to reduce landscape connectivity, threatening ecological integrity. The Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), which hosts key biodiversity, faces such a challenge. This study assessed the impact of a community-based conservation approach specifically the Simalaha Community Conservancy in Western Zambia on improving forest connectivity and habitat integrity. Using freely available Landsat imagery, we analyzed land cover changes before the conservancy’s establishment in 2010 and 15 years later in 2025. Image classification was conducted using pixel-based and object-based methods, followed by landscape metrics analysis using FRAGSTATS and the Landscape Fragmentation Tool in ArcMap by focusing on indices, such as Number of Patches (NP), Patch area (PA) and Connectivity Index (CI). The results, based on classification maps with over 80% accuracy, showed increasing habitat loss and fragmentation outside the conservancy, especially in 2025. Within the conservancy, there was a notable shift from forest-dominated to grassland habitat, though forest loss remained below 1%, compared to 1.2% outside. The eastern part of the conservancy was dominated by croplands and settlements, identifying agricultural expansion as a primary driver of forest loss. Overall, the study demonstrates that the community conservancy model has contributed to maintaining and enhancing habitat connectivity and integrity within its boundaries, despite external anthropogenic pressures. These findings provide important insights for conservation planning and wildlife management in transboundary landscapes, especially for migratory species, such as elephants (Loxodonta africana) and blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus).