CEO Report August 2017

August Report

Institutional Update

Fundraising:

The Arcus Foundation has provided grant support for our work with great apes in Chinko and Odzala. We are also pleased to be one of the recipients of the Wildlife Conservation Network and Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation’s recently launched Lion Recovery Fund, which has awarded two grants to African Parks for lion conservation efforts in Pendjari National Park in Benin as well as for the upcoming reintroduction of lions to Liwonde National Park in Malawi. We have also received new funding from the Elephant Crisis Fund, a joint initiative of Save the Elephants and Wildlife Conservation Network, for law enforcement work in Pendjari and Garamba.

Recruitment:

James Milanzi was transferred from Regional Operations Manager to Regional Director Zambia and Martin Rickleton took up his position as the Regional Operations Manager for Anglophone Parks as of the 1st of August.

Communications:

In commemoration of World Elephant Day on the 12th of August, we shared some of our extremely encouraging news around elephant conservation in the parks; read the five good news stories here. We released a two-minute film on the rhino reintroduction in Akagera National Park, click here to view it. The Chinko Crisis Fund, which we established late July as an urgent platform to direct urgently needed funds towards the provisioning of vulnerable displaced persons being cared for in Chinko, remains active. In light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis we continue to appeal for emergency support. The National Geographic documentary film ‘Return of The Lion’ which tells the story of the reintroduction of lions to Akagera in 2015, has been published on YouTube and is available to watch in full here. The 2017 Rhino Conservation Awards were held in Johannesburg on the 21st of August. African Parks was honoured to be the first-time recipient of the new Special Award for Endangered Species Conservation in recognition of its contribution across the continent through its efforts including the 500 Elephants translocation, returning rhino to Rwanda and cheetah to Malawi this year. Also, given September 22nd is World Rhino Day, and on the heels of winning this award, we announced today that a new rhino calf has been born in Akagera with a release and appeal. 

Parks in Development

Greater Zakouma, Chad: We saw positive progress made towards signature of the addendum, which incorporates key areas outside Zakouma National Park within its management mandate. A meeting is being arranged with a delegation from the Ministry of the Environment in South Africa to bring this to conclusion.   

Ennedi, Chad: A planned meeting with Chad’s Ministry of Environment will serve as a key opportunity for both parties to sign the agreement, providing African Parks with the mandate to manage Ennedi.  

Shaba and Buffalo Springs, Kenya:  We engaged the recently elected Governor Doctor Kuti on his position regarding the management of Shaba and Buffalo Springs. However, any further progress is pending clarity on the political landscape following the nullification of the recent national presidential elections.

Bazaruto Archipelago Marine National Park, Mozambique: We received positive feedback on the final agreement, after achieving traction with the Ministry of Land, Environment and Social Development. We hope to sign the agreement for the management of this extraordinary marine and coastal reserve in the coming weeks.  

Matusadona National Park, Zimbabwe: While formal feedback from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority’s legal committee on the submitted draft agreement is pending, we are pleased to report that unofficial feedback has been extremely positive.  

Kafue National Park, Zambia: Kafue in western Zambia is an iconic African wilderness area, and at 22,400 km2 it is one of the world’s largest national parks. Having previously expressed interest in the management of this remarkable area, we have now submitted a proposal to Zambia’s Minister of Finance and look forward to receiving feedback.

Operational Updates

Chinko, CAR: The humanitarian crisis emanating from the escalation of civil war remained unchanged through August, with Chinko continuing to provide sanctuary for 300 people seeking refuge from the violence and rebuilding 280 houses in the nearest afflicted town. The Chinko Crisis Fund, established last month to support our humanitarian measures, serves as a critical platform to direct urgently needed funds towards the provisioning of vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs). Last month we received generous funding support from a range of individuals and family foundations in addition to in-kind medical supplies from the Medical Expert Group (MEG). Law enforcement teams continued to secure the park through patrols and aerial surveillance, making one arrest and confiscating 300 kg of bush meat. There were several other key advancements, including the arrival of the new Law Enforcement Manager, Jerome Lidoyne, who is providing structure and discipline among the rangers; and the training camp was completed in time for the commencement of the advanced ranger training due to begin next month.

 

Akagera, Rwanda: Akagera continued to attract increased tourist numbers, seeing a 30% growth compared to August of last year. The park’s dedicated law enforcement team carried out more than 400 patrols of various types, continuing to successfully secure the park and finding no evidence of poaching, a record it has maintained for the entire year. Utilising the helicopter, a team undertook the first systematic aerial surveillance of the wetlands and conducted a comprehensive aerial census of key species, including shoebill storks, grey-crowned cranes and sitatunga antelope, among others. Final results will be available shortly. Akagera staffed a promotional stand at the annual Kwita Izina Tourism and Conservation Exhibition (comprising a gorilla naming ceremony), also hosting several invited international guests and media in the park. Another promotional stand was set up for participation in the Africa Travel Association 41st Annual World Tourism Conference in Kigali.

 

Zakouma, Chad: The reintroduction of black rhino to Zakouma was approved at the executive committee meeting on the 3rd of August, moving us a step forward towards the re-establishment of the species in Chad for the first time since the late 1980s. Despite some abatement in rainfall since last month, water levels remained a logistical challenge with operations relying on the use of long boats and the aircraft to access areas of the park. As a key development for law enforcement, the Anti-Poaching Information Coordinator for Garamba National Park spent a valuable three-weeks training the park’s information officer and assessing the data collection and information system. Meanwhile, ongoing ranger operations again reported no poaching incidents in Zakouma. The growing elephant herd continued to be regularly tracked, and reports were received of a different new herd of elephants near the boundary of the park. Zakouma began a community outreach programme involving the reforestation of indigenous African mahogany; so far, the first trees have been planted at 73 sites, replacing invasive neem trees which continue to be removed.

 

Garamba, DRC: South Sudanese refugees are becoming a potential source of pressure on the park’s wildlife resources, prompting teams in Garamba to embark on a joint mission with local authorities and MONUSCO to a refugee camp to sensitise them around conservation regulations. Teams are also involved in discussions with local miners and relevant NGOs to address collaboratively illegal mining activity in the area. The park-supported Nagero hospital provided treatment to 754 patients, serving as a vital source of local health care. The law enforcement team saw another optimistic month, reporting no poached elephants in August for a second consecutive month while confiscating just three firearms. The species monitoring programme continued as normal, tracking all 49 functioning elephant collars, identifying 18 of the 45 known giraffes and discovering chimpanzee nests in Mondo Missa and in the centre of the park.

Bangweulu Wetlands, Zambia: 150 puku antelopes were successfully captured in Kasanka National Park in Zambia, bringing to total 280 animals also including hartebeest and impala translocated thus far, of the total 600 planned to restock Bangweulu. Regular law enforcement patrols and community sensitisation efforts continued to roll out, helping to maintain the Lumbatwa Wildlife Corridor free from encroachment and encouraging appreciation of the newly released animals. The construction of the new Shoebill Lodge was commenced, with materials and work teams being moved on to the site. In light of encouraging reports of shoebill nests for this season, additional shoebill guards have been employed to watch over them. It has been a productive month for community projects, with key activities including the harvesting of maize from conservation agriculture plots and honey for market. Notably, some local leadership involved in the fisheries committee have embarked on a programme to remove weirs and confiscate mosquito fishing nets ahead of the implementation of the seasonal fishing ban.

 

Liuwa Plain, Zambia: We were deeply saddened that Musa Kafanu, a ranger in Liuwa, passed away on the 29th of August due to unknown causes. The park welcomed two new members to its team, Claire Gordon as Special Projects Manager and Bryson Sompa as Land Use Planner. We unfortunately report that Sepo, another dominant lioness of Liuwa, has passed away due to natural pride dynamics, following shortly after the passing of Lady Liuwa. Sepo has not been sighted for several weeks despite teams having searched extensively for signs of her. However, it is promising news that her two 11-month-old male cubs have reunited with their older sisters who have continued to care for them. We were also pleased to receive the first photographic confirmation that one of these sisters is nursing a cub. King Lewanika Lodge has been assessed for final finishing improvements and it is now being prepared for an official opening. The park’s law enforcement teams continued to perform well, making four arrests and attaining three convictions, and confiscating bush meat and various hunting items. Its overall effectiveness will benefit further from the participation of four scouts in the advanced tracking course held in Liwonde National Park.

 

Liwonde, Malawi: We were pleased to receive a financial commitment from the Lion Recovery Fund as a contribution towards the reintroduction of lion in 2018. The park is in the process of hosting an advanced tracking training course at the well-equipped Liwonde Training Centre for six of its own rangers and others from five parks within the African Parks portfolio. Mid-month, the British Military began mentorship training exercises provided for rangers at the training centre, exchanging valuable skills in tracking and operations strategies. Law enforcement and fence line teams recorded another slight reduction in elephant break-outs, with these now limited to sections adjacent to irrigated crops along the Masanje river and Malombe lakeshore. Snare retrieval has also seen an encouraging reduction (443, compared with 936 in August last year), while four apprehended poachers were charged and one person was arrested for illegal fishing. The four reintroduced cheetahs continued to be tracked, with all signs indicating they are in good condition and hunting effectively.

 

Nkhotakota, Malawi: The park is now home to a robust population of over 560 elephants, which continue to be regularly monitored. The number of break-outs saw a slight reduction in August, and all were swiftly attended to by ranger teams followed by the requisite fence maintenance. Good progress was made on phase two of the perimeter fencing project, as a further 10 km were fenced and electrified and another 16 km cleared, bringing a total of 71 km fenced this year to date. Law enforcement staff are undertaking refresher training to maintain momentum in the improvement of the park’s ranger capability. In wildlife monitoring, one female elephant passed away due to unknown causes, and camera traps were deployed to identify activity as well as collect data on elusive species. The park continued to engage extensively with communities through its outreach programmes, key among them this month were the establishment of clubs around alternative livelihood projects, including bee-keeping and fruit-growing.

 

Majete, Malawi: We welcomed the news that our proposal to the Lion Recovery Fund was successful, approving funding for the translocation of additional lions to Majete in February 2018. This will facilitate the introduction of necessary genetic diversity in the current population in Majete as well as support the reintroduction of lions to Liwonde. The park maintained enormous productivity on all fronts and particularly in preparation to host the African Parks management meeting in September. Making good progress for law enforcement, 27 staff received training in the use of new equipment and four rangers attended the advanced tracking course in Liwonde National Park. In addition, Majete continued to hold its record of zero elephant and rhino poaching. The park saw important activity in community engagement, notably hosting meetings to address logging and to build awareness around the National Parks and Wildlife Act, which was recently amended to enhance the country’s penalties for wildlife crimes.

 

Odzala-Kokoua, Congo: Solid progress has been made in the revision of the partnership agreement for the park, with dates now being discussed for the signing of the final proposal. The park hosted a delegation from the Congolese Ministry to evaluate the implementation of the 2011-2016 management plan. A training camp received extensive upgrades and was fitted with the necessary equipment in preparation for the eco-guard training programme starting next month. The law enforcement team continued in their efforts to counter wildlife crime, collecting 300 snares, making four arrests and confiscating numerous materials. Four elephant carcasses were discovered, including one young collared individual, which leaves nine remaining elephants with active collars in the park. A census of hunters and weapons around Odzala saw continued roll-out and the collection of valuable data from 10 villages regarding the distribution, usage and permitting of weapons. As part of the park’s extensive community engagement, the mobile clinic treated 58 people in August and awareness meetings were held in 11 villages to discuss hunting practice and community involvement in the removal of snares.

 

Pendjari, Benin: With Pendjari National Park being the most recent park to join the African Parks portfolio, an official public hand-over ceremony for the park took place on the 24th of August. This was presided over by key representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Tourism, and CENAGREF (Le Centre National de Gestion des Reserves de Faune), among others. New law enforcement systems have been implemented with improved team structures and patrol deployment schedules created to increase the presence of rangers in the park. Construction of the training camp is now nearing completion and Guy Rendall was recruited as the anti-poaching trainer. We will soon initiate the ranger training programme, recruiting and selecting individuals from around the area. In terms of commercial development, the Tourism Development Plan for Hotel Pendjari was submitted to the Minister of Tourism to initiate discussions around its management. Headway was also made in conservation and monitoring, after the new volunteer Marketa Svejcarova arrived to support database management and data collection.

Key Media

Media highlights for African Parks for August 2017 included coverage by National Geographic, Architectural Digest, Le Monde, Mashable, Yahoo News, RTL Nieuws, Architectural Digest, Lonely Planet, among others.

MIAVANA AND KING LEWANIKA LODGE ARE REDEFINING AFRICA’S HOTEL EXPERIENCE | Architectural Digest, 3 August 2017

From world-renowned designers Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, the disparate destinations span from a remote part of the Indian Ocean to a national park in Zambia… Located in the remote Liuwa Plain National Park, King Lewanika Lodge (also from Time + Tide) is the first permanent camp inside the park. With only six villas, comprised of steel, canvas and thatch, the lodge is noticeably less dialed up than Miavana.

AFRICAN PARKS HAILS ‘HISTORIC’ RELOCATION OF 520 ELEPHANTS | Yahoo News, 3 August 2017

African Parks, a conservation NGO which manages national parks and protected areas across Africa, completed one of the largest elephant translocations in history on Wednesday, August 2nd, 2017. In total, 520 elephants were successfully moved from Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve in Malawi, and were released in Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve…

CONSERVATIONISTS MOVE 500 ELEPHANTS TO MALAWI WILDLIFE RESERVE TO SAVE THEM FROM POACHERS | Lonely Planet, 3 August 2017

One of the largest elephant translocations in history was completed this week in Malawi, bringing more than 500 of the species into a wildlife reserve. The elephants were moved from Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve in Malawi, and were released in Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve over two years.

SEE WHAT IT TAKES TO MOVE 500 ELEPHANTS | National Geographic, 9 August 2017

Four minutes—that's the average amount of time wildlife officials have from when a tranquilizer dart punctures an elephant's thick skin to when the anesthetizing drug takes effect…. In late July, wildlife managers in Malawi finished a two-year project that involved moving 520 elephants from Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve to their new home in Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve.

520 ELEPHANTS FIND NEW LIFE AFTER MASSIVE TRANSLOCATION EFFORT | Mashable, 13 August 2017

The largest elephant relocation effort in history has finally come to a successful end. A total of 520 elephants were taken from two separate conservation spaces — Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve — and moved more than 200 miles to their new home in Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve.

520 ELEPHANTS RELOCALISES AU MALAWI: UNE OPERATION HISTORIQUE | RTL, 14 August 2017

Un total de 520 éléphants ont été relocalisés vers un parc du Malawi où ils avaient été quasiment décimés par le braconnage, l'une des plus importantes opérations du genre jamais réalisées, a annoncé jeudi l'organisation responsable du projet.

FUND LAUNCHED TO PROTECT LIONS, RESTORE HABITATS | Philanthropy News Digest, 14 August 2017

The Wildlife Conservation Network and Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation have announced the launch of the Lion Recovery Fund… The fund has already awarded grants totaling more than $800,000 to the African Parks Network in Pendjari National Park, Benin to improve anti-poaching efforts, communications, and monitoring of lions and threats

REMEMBERING LADY LIUWA, THE ‘LAST LIONNESS’ OF ZAMBIA’S LIUWA PLAIN | National Geographic Voices, 14 August 2017

A legendary lioness fondly known as ‘Lady Liuwa’, that lived in Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia, died of natural causes on August 9, 2017, just one day before World Lion Day… Lady Liuwa was an icon, and a symbol of survival and resilience. Due to years of poaching and illegal trophy hunting, lions were completely eradicated from Liuwa Plain in the 1990s, except for one lioness – Lady Liuwa.

2017 RHINO CONSERVATION AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED | Biz Community News, 22 August 2017

The annual Rhino Conservation Awards took place on Monday, 21 August at Montecasino in Joburg. Minister of Environmental Affairs Dr Edna Molewa celebrated the winners, runners-up and nominees who have made a marked impact in the war against rhino poaching… For the first time, the awards offered a Special Award for Endangered Species Conservation. African Parks took first prize.

ELEPHANTS, RHINOCEROS, LIONS: AU RWANDA, LA RENAISSANCE DU PARC DE L’AKAGERA | Le Monde, 24 August 2017

Situé dans l’est du pays, il a dû relever plusieurs défis : après le génocide, sa superficie avait été réduite et sa population animale décimée… Situé dans l’est du Rwanda, à une centaine de kilomètres de la capitale Kigali, le parc de l’Akagera a été créé en 1934. « Il compte aujourd’hui plus d’une centaine d’éléphants, se félicite Jes Gruner, son directeur. Mais il pourrait en accueillir le double ou le triple. »