Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique have pulled down their national parks borders to create the world's largest animal kingdom straddling the three countries.

The new Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, which became operational a few weeks ago, comprises Zimbabwe's Gonarezhou National Park, Kruger National Park of South Africa and Mozambique's Coutada 16 (Gaza).

The mega conservation park is expected to earn the three countries huge revenues from visiting tourists.

The Minister of Environment and Tourism, Cde Francis Nhema, said in an interview at the weekend that the mega-park was now operational.

He said visitors to the park were no longer required to hold visas when they travel to Kruger National Park, Coutada 16 (Gaza) and, Gonarezhou National Park in the Lowveld.

"The creation of the Great Transfrontier Park project was set to create massive employment activities and would keep Zimbabwe's tourism product more attractive," he said.

Cde Nhema said there were no full-scale operations within the 90 000 square-km park because of the poor road network.

Ministers of tourism from the three countries met in Maputo, Moza-mbique, last week to discuss the progress made on the establishment of an international treaty that would regulate all matters concerning the Transfrontier Park.

"What is left now is for the three of us to establish a joint management board to carry over the daily activities of the big park. The board will come up with a management plan.

"We also discussed the strategy for the three parks as it relates to tourism marketing of the countries and how surrounding communities will benefit through the project.

"Branding of Great Limpopo Park will help in tourism development and this should increase tourist arrivals," said the minister.

The development would add value to the three countries' economies and other regional states, as this would create a vibrant and sustainable tourism economy.

South Africa dismantled the dreaded electric fence that separated Kruger from Mozambique at the end of last year and translocated part of its 1 000 elephants into Gaza National Park (Mozambique) at a cost of $20 million.

The bulk of elephants would be translocated over the next three years.

Cde Nhema said the country's tourism sector was set to benefit from another cross-border initiative - Chimanimani Transboundary Conservation Park that has started yielding results.