AFRICAN
CONSERVATION AND WEB SITES FOR AFRICA FROM
AFRICANWEBSITES.NET
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The
WILD Foundation
works to protect and sustain critical wild areas, wilderness values and
endangered wildlife throughout the world, with a special emphasis on Southern
Africa, by initiating or assisting
en
vironmental
education, experiential and “hands on” projects and programs. Their
Definition of Wilderness: Large area of unmodified or slightly modified land,
and/or sea, retaining its natural character and influence, without permanent
or significant habitation, which is (or should be) protected and managed
so as to preserve its natural condition. Their Definition of
Wildland
Values Wildland values include: the “ecosystem services’ provided
by wild and natural areas that promote a more healthy and productive human
society, such as clean air and water; timber, grass and other natural resources,
plant medicines, climate tempering, habitat for wildlife, etc. “Social
values” are important and less tangible values than ecosystem services,
such as beauty, solitude, quiet, recreation, therapy, etc. Finally, inherent
values are important but hard-to-measure intangibles that allow nature’s
creatures and systems to experience similar freedom, self-expression, and
evolution as does the human species.
Formed in 1988, the
Chobe Wildlife
Trust is an independent non-profit organisation created
to assist in the conservation of the Chobe National Park
and its immediate surroundings. Working in conjunction with other wildlife
NGO's in Botswana, the Trust is committed to promoting research and conservation
management. They also conduct environmental awareness and education projects
within the community to actively involve the
locals in the preservation of their natural resources.
The Chobe
Wildlife Trust (CWT) has been involved with many worthwhile projects
over the years. From sponsoring research into the
conservation of elephants and rhino to actively involving
themselves in solving the problem of poaching, the Trust makes a difference
at a grass roots level. They are currently involved in a number of initiatives,
the most notable of which are The Kasane Wildlife Orphanage , Strategic Plan
for the Environment for Botswana and Construction of the Chobe National Park's
two artificial waterholes. For more information visit their website or
email to see how you can help.
The aims of the
Kalahari Conservation
Society (KCS) are simple but of prime importance
to the future of Botswana, to the conservation of the natural
heritage, and indeed to the economy. They are: to promote knowledge of Botswana's
rich wildlife and its environment through education
and publicity , to encourage and in some cases finance
research into issues affecting these resources and their conservation and
to promote and support policies of conservation towards wildlife and its
habitat. Because of its remoteness from modern developments and its variety
of habitats, the Okavango Delta has great bio-diversity. Not only does it
have nearly all of the large mammal
species of southern Africa, including seasonally high
concentrations of elephants, but it provides habitats for an extraordinary
varitey of smaller mammals, birds, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. It
has the richest flora in Botswana. In other words, its long isolation, and
the juxtaposition of waterways with dry land, have allowed a complex and
delicate web of interdependent species of plants and animals to develop within
the system. These, in turn, influence their habitats - for example, hippos
have a role in clearing waterways, and termites are instrumental in the formation
of new islands. In short, the Okavango Delta is a unique system.
TRAFFIC's mission is to ensure that trade in wild
plants and animals is not a
threat
to the
conservation
of nature.
TRAFFIC's work
is neither easier nor closer to completion than it was in the mid-1970s when
TRAFFIC was
founded largely to assist in the implementation of CITES. CITES now covers
some 30 000 plant and animal species and has more than 150 member countries.
These member countries face ever-more complex issues in determining how best
to ensure that trade does not threaten the survival of species. While continuing
to support the application of CITES,
TRAFFIC has
developed its role in addressing wildlife trade issues in a wider context,
including major commercial sectors such as fisheries and timber trade and
a wide range of regional and local issues. Over a quarter of a century,
TRAFFIC has
developed from a single office into a global network of 22 offices in eight
regional programmes around the world including many in Africa and
TRAFFIC is gradually
reaching out to all 18 countries in the region, identifying where its expertise
is most needed to help ensure that wildlife trade remains sustainable.
The bushmeat crisis is
the most significant immediate threat to the future of wildlife populations
in Africa. Hunting of wildlife to meet people’s
demand for protein may still be sustainable in the few remaining
areas where population densities are less than 2 people/km2, trade routes
are poorly established, and human population growth rates are low. The scale
of the illegal, commercial bushmeat trade now occurring in Africa, however,
is driven by markets with large, rapidly-growing populations of consumers
and is considered by experts to be unsustainable. This commercial-scale trade
threatens the survival of numerous species as well as posing considerable
health and economic threats for future generations. The
Bushmeat Crisis Task
Force (BCTF), founded in 1999, is a consortium of conservation
organizations and professionals working throughout Africa and dedicated to
the conservation
of wildlife populations threatened by illegal, commercial
hunting of wildlife for sale as meat. The BCTF operates under the direction
of an elected Steering Committee and is funded by Supporting and Contributing
Members. BCTF's primary goals are to: a) work with the general members of
the BCTF to focus attention on the bushmeat crisis in Africa; b) establish
an information database and mechanisms for information sharing regarding
the bushmeat issue; c) facilitate engagement of African partners and stakeholders
in addressing the bushmeat issue; and d) promote collaborative decision-making,
fund-raising and actions among the members and associates of the BCTF. For
more information about the BCTF and the bushmeat issue, please
visit their website
or email them directly.
Tembo.org are a flexible e-charity dedicated to
protecting elephants from cruelty and
exploitation.
Without delay or high
administratio
n costs,
they provide direct and practical aid and raise awareness of the plight of
elephants the world over. They propose to conduct research and are planning
project interventions to support elephant/human interactions.
Tembo.org is a
registered charity in France; and their goals, "The study and conservation
of African and Asian elephants in their natural environment, the lobbying
for the conservation of ths species, the upgrade of international awareness
for this cause through the site Tembo.org, the making of documentaries and
exhibitions; the financial and material assitance to private and national
parks in Africa and Asia which are fighting against poaching." To find out
more, you can email them
directly.
If you would like to
contact us please email
terry@africanconservation.org
