By Charles Mangwiro

MAPUTO, July 20 (Reuters) - Mozambique plans to invest $54 million to revamp national parks and wildlife still struggling to recover more than a decade after the end of the African country's 17-year civil war, a senior official said on Friday.

National Tourism Director Albino Mahumana told Reuters the government-sponsored investment would start this year and run for five years, with a goal of boosting Mozambique's status as an African safari destination.

"Organised poaching systematically removed almost all big game from the bush... we have empty national parks without anything bigger than rabbits and rats," he said.

"The government will use it own funds for this sustainable operation."

Mahumana said the government recognised wildlife's tourism potential, but thus far has been unsuccessful in promoting nature travel along with Mozambique's growing status as a beach destination.

"Foreign investors are in hotels and resorts leaving national parks as a secondary issue, now, we want to lead the investments in this area and encourage them," he said.

The bloody civil war, which ended in 1992, drastically reduced once prolific herds of wildlife in national parks and reserves, while landmines and other detritus of the conflict continue to make travelling off established routes risky.

Mahumana said part of the new investment would go to Gorongosa national park, in the centre of Mozambique, whose blazing white beaches and sweeping savannas once made it among the most popular destinations on the continent.

Mozambique recently approved $600 million to build new hotels, casinos and other leisure facilities as part of an effort to capitalise on a tourism boom expected when neighbouring South Africa hosts the 2010 soccer World Cup.

The country also hopes to use property to pay off about $350 million in foreign debt to Angola and a handful of eastern European nations, freeing up cash for economic development.

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