The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) was an autonomous agency of the Zambian Government established to manage and conserve Zambia’s wildlife estate comprising 20 National Parks, 36 Game Management Areas and one bird sanctuary, which cover 31 percent of the country’s land mass. It was established in 1999 under the Zambia Wildlife Act replacing the former Department of National Parks and Wildlife Service. In 2015 it was announced that ZAWA would be abolished with its functions returning to the Ministry of Tourism and Arts.