Experts

Chief Executive Officer for African Parks Peter Fearnhead born and grew up in Zimbabwe, and graduated with a BSc in Agric Economics from the University of Natal and an MSc in Agric. and Resource Economics from the University of Oxford. He was a management consultant with Deloitte, before joining South African National Parks (SANParks), where he held a number of positions, including Resource Economist, Advisor to the CEO, and Head of Commercial Development. Peter was one of the Founders of African Parks. He was appointed as the CEO in February 2007.

Park Manager for Majete Wildlife Reserve Craig Hay’s broad experience in African conservation follows a long and diverse career portfolio. Following a period of National Service in the South African Airforce, and the completion of a BTech degree in Nature Conservation through the Tshwane University of Technology, Craig was involved in various conservation-related fields in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Malawi. However, his career has largely been shaped by his time spent in the Greater Kruger National Park, where he worked in tourism, field guiding, park management, scientific research and wildlife management training. Craig joined African Parks as a Field Operations Manager for Liuwa Plains, Zambia, in 2011, after obtaining an MTech degree on buffalo behaviour and ecology, which studied the spread and impact of Tuberculosis in buffalo in the Kruger National Park. In 2013 he transferred to Majete Wildlife Reserve, becoming Park Manager in 2015. Craig’s experience in game captures comprises of his previous responsibility for coordinating the successful translocation.

Park Manager for Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve Samuel Kamoto holds an MSc in Environmental Science, a BSc. (Hons) in Natural Resource Management and a Diploma in Wildlife Management. For 21 years Samuel worked as a professional Wildlife Career Officer for Malawi’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) . Between 2009 and 2012, he was a Director of the Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM), during which time he produced background studies and managed a number of successful conservation projects in the country, including the World Bank Group’s Global Environment Facility Program, “Project for the Effective Management of the Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve”. Samuel has substantial experience in all aspects of park management and planning. He was appointed Community Coordinator for Majete Wildlife Reserve in 2012, and managed the reserve’s Community Outreach and Development Programme for three years. In 2015, when African Parks took over park management from DNPW, Samuel was appointed Park Manager for Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve.

Country Director for African Parks Malawi Patricio Ndadzela represents the organisation nationally, spearheading national fundraising and park development, and advising on legal and policy matters. o has thirty years of experience in wildlife conservation and holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Management and Planning from the University of Derby, and a Bachelor’s degree (Hons) in Natural Resources Management. His prior experience with African Parks includes being Park Manager for Majete Wildlife Reserve for nine years. Under Patricio’s leadership, the project has successfully invested a total of US $16,000,000, and the formerly depleted reserve has been steadily transformed in to a big five park and the country’s foremost tourism destination, with tourism revenues in excess of $400,000 in 2015, from zero in 2003. Patricio was previously the Regional Wildlife Manager for the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), and has additionally worked as a park warden and game ranger, in charge of law enforcement, for 15-years. Participatory rural appraisal and conflict resolution and management in protected areas.

Director of Conservation Development Appointed to the position of Joint-Operations Director at African Parks head office in November 2013, Andrew Parker is responsible for the strategic direction, financial management and implementation of policies and practices at six protected areas in the portfolio. They are Liuwa Plain National Park and Bangweulu Wetlands in Zambia, Akagera National Park in Rwanda, Liwonde National Park, Majete Wildlife Reserve and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve all three in Malawi. He has 17 years’ experience in conservation management and operations and was previously the Chief Executive of the Sabi Sand Wildtuin and Welgevonden Game Reserve where financial management and security programmes and initiatives to combat rhino poaching were included in his long list of responsibilities.

Park Manager for Liwonde National Park Craig Reid’s 24-year conservation career began in 1992, after completing a National Diploma in Nature Conservation in South Africa. Since then, he has worked in senior management roles in a range of National Parks and protected areas across southern Africa, before joining African Parks in 2007. During his time with African Parks, Craig’s roles have included: Park Manager in Liuwa Plain and Bangweulu Wetlands in Zambia; Park Manager at Liwonde in Malawi; as well as coordinating conservation projects in Zakouma in Chad and Garamba in DRC. Over the years he has participated in numerous translocation projects in various Parks, the experience from which, coupled with his broad management experience, will contribute to the smooth running of the 500 Elephants operation. Craig will also pilot the Liwonde aircraft, spotting suitable herds for capture. He is, in addition, directly responsible for all of the preparations in Liwonde National Park for this historical conservation project.

Dr Andre Uys has20 years of field experience. Co- founder of Conservation Solutions, Andre has immobilised tens of thousands of animals in 13 different African countries and has focused on the immobilisation and translocation of large African mammals. Andre regularly assists and advises African Parks on veterinary and technical conservation issues and is an essential cog in any elephant capture operation.

Co-founder of Conservation Solutions Kester Vickery coordinated the veterinary angle and the logistics of the translocation. He has been intimately involved in the wildlife translocation field for 22 years and has translocated approximately 110,000 animals in his career. Kester has successfully completed translocation projects in 12 different African countries. He and his team have developed unique specialist translocation systems to be able to move large numbers of elephants and other species in a short space of time. Conservation Solutions regularly works with African Parks providing veterinary, technical and logistical assistance throughout their range of parks.