Wildlife ACT has initiated monitoring projects on various Game Reserves across Zululand, South Africa. Zululand is among the most diverse and productive wild lands in the world, yet amid its gallery of wildlife, conservation efforts face tremendous challenges. Some of these challenges include rapid encroachment and fragmentation of natural habitat, poaching, insufficient research and inadequate funding for monitoring – coupled with the occurrence of many endangered species.
Africa has over 400 known endangered animal species. Tracking and monitoring of endangered species is a critical step in the conservation of these animals. Many game reserves do not have the capacity to run effective wildlife monitoring programmes. Wildlife ACT provides free tracking and monitoring services to game reserves in Zululand that don’t have monitoring programmes in place, or by taking over existing monitoring projects on reserves that can no longer fund or manage them.
Wildlife monitoring is essential for keeping track of animal movement patterns, habitat utilisation, population demographics, snaring and poaching incidents. This valuable information has numerous management implications, including the planning of successful introduction and removal strategies of priority wildlife species (such as Black Rhino, Wild Dog, Cheetah and Vultures).
Wildlife ACT currently has projects on 4 different reserves across Zululand, South Africa – Thanda Private Game Reserve, Mkhuze Game Reserve, Tembe National Elephant Park and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park.
Wildlife ACT’s main focus on Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park is the monitoring of Wild Dogs and a population survey of Cheetah and Leopard using camera traps. A total of 46 cameras are currently out in the field.
We also rely on organisations such as Euro Zulu to provide photographs and information of cheetah and leopard taken during their game drives in the Park, to assist us with the survey. You will be able to assist us with our research by joining EuroZulu on their game drives. To assist us with much needed equipment and materials, visit www.wildlifeactfund.org