The 2023 calendar 12 months has been continuous for the Human-Wildlife Coexistence Programme (HWCP). Operations have prolonged from the Japanese Cape, Lesotho, Drakensberg, the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, and again as much as Zululand.

Over the previous 12 months the programme has centered on coaching workers, equipping rangers, and fascinating successfully with stakeholders throughout the area on essential subjects referring to human-wildlife battle, with the final word purpose of aiming to seek out mechanisms to construct coexistence for a thriving setting and thriving individuals.

In direction of this purpose, the Human-Wildlife Coexistence Programme has been very lively within the subject with some key highlights embody:

• 302 wildlife or potential human-wildlife battle observations made between January and November 2023.
• By these observations, 17 useless livestock have been noticed and reported to native management and livestock house owners.
• 23 incidents of fence harm have been timeously reported to native reserve managers to assist quicker fence restore.
• 74 snares have been deactivated from the sector and 1 snared cow discovered alive and the incident reported to native management to save lots of the animal.

In collaboration with our Vulture Conservation Programme we’ve:

• Responded to and decontaminated poison from 10 incidents in 2023, with the unhappy discovery of 54 poisoned and killed Critically Endangered African White-backed Vultures.

In our proactive measures to enhance consciousness, coaching and engagement with communities, the HWCP has supported with:

• Poison Response Coaching of 20 rangers. 
• Offered Poison Consciousness workshops to over 100 contributors.

The Human-Wildlife Coexistence group has additionally offered a platform for neighborhood leaders and livestock house owners adjoining to protected areas in Zululand to interact with park administration on subjects of human-wildlife battle. Throughout these workshops, greater than 140 livestock house owners and neighborhood leaders got alternative to debate their challenges with respective park administration, in addition to be introduced with alternatives for improved livestock husbandry and to debate human-wildlife battle avoidance measures, such because the significance of excellent high quality park and kraal fencing.

Lastly, we’re very excited a couple of new collaboration that has developed with companions in neighborhood conservation round Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. Greater than 10 organisations have dedicated to work extra intently collectively shifting ahead, for the betterment of neighborhood improvement and biodiversity conservation within the area. We’re trying ahead to sharing extra with you on this thrilling initiative in 2024.