World Wildlife Day 2023
As we celebrate the 2023 World Wildlife Day on the theme “Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation,” we want to highlight the significant role of collaborations and partnerships. Our Mara Predator Conservation Programme’s (MPCP) approach combines natural and social sciences to monitor and conserve predators in the Greater Mara Ecosystem (GME).
The Mara ecosystem is home to diverse wildlife, including lions, cheetahs, and other predators. These predators play a vital role in the ecosystem by regulating prey populations and maintaining the natural balance. However, human-wildlife conflicts and habitat loss threaten their survival which can lead to the loss of prey populations, which predators rely on. This can cause them to move into human settlements in search of food, and thus result in conflict.
The Mara Predator Conservation Programme seeks to understand how human-led changes affect predator movement and behavior while increasing community awareness in the Greater Mara. Through their ‘Collars for Conservation’ initiative, they use GPS collars to monitor lions and provide data-driven solutions. MPCP is dedicated to working with other stakeholders to provide evidence–based, practical management recommendations, solutions, and ideas.
MPCP stands out for its emphasis on community-driven conservation strategies, which involve working with local communities to reduce human-wildlife conflict and promote coexistence. Through wildlife clubs, MPCP educates school children about predator conservation, creating awareness and promoting a positive attitude towards them.
The programme also supports local livelihoods through “Ufugaji Hifadhi”, a scalable, financially inclusive, smartphone-based digital platform to connect farmers (in particular women and youth) to each other and to value chains, in order to maximize their livestock income and gain access to enhanced veterinary and agricultural inputs and services. It is also developing systems and guidelines to help farmers restore and protect degraded land, biodiversity, and natural resources.
MPCP collaborates with various partners, including landowners, conservancies, government agencies, NGOs, and researchers, to ensure the effective conservation of Mara’s predators. It is through these partnerships and collaborations that MPCP is able to strengthen its capacity, promote knowledge sharing and financial support, as well as enhance its effectiveness in achieving its overarching objectives.
