Four Decades of Habitat Change and Spatio-Temporal Dynamics in the Liuwa Ecosystem of Zambia

Human encroachment into wildlife habitats has led to extensive habitat loss and fragmentation, often resulting in the displacement and decline of wildlife population across African Ecosystems. This study assessed four decades (1984–2024) of spatio-temporal habitat dynamics in Liuwa Plain National Park, a human - wildlife co - existence landscape of Zambia. Using Landsat satellite imagery classified at 10-year intervals (1984, 1994, 2004, 2014, and 2024) and a random forest algorithm with a two-step approach including pixel - based classification followed by an object-based refinement we produced thematic maps with accuracies of 82–89% with the 2024 map being the most accurate. Results show 20% decline in forest cover, 5% loss of grasslands and 3% reduction was observed in 2024 in wetlands and water bodies, likely due to the 2023/2024 drought. Particularly the changes were observed on the southern Kalabo Urban Zone and more evident outside the park boundaries. These shifts indicate rising shifts of anthropogenic pressure on habitat critical for wildlife persistence. The study underscores the need for integrated land-use planning, habitat management, adaptive park zonation and support the identification of ecological hotspots to sustain co - existence and ecological integrity in Liuwa NP and similar landscapes.