The $200 Poacher vs. The $50,000 Safari Hunter: Economics of Conservation

Key Takeaways: * Wildlife in the savannas of Northern Cameroon is being decimated. * The region is facing a myriad of threats from pastoralists to poachers. * Hunting concessions comprise about 70% of the massive Bénoué Complex (23,394 km² in extent). * The financial burden of protecting wildlife falls almost entirely on hunting

Frame of Reference: Diverging Perceptions of Wildlife Conservation in Africa

By Zig Mackintosh Key Takeaways: * African Conservation is caught in the crossfire of competing worldviews. * Western values center around preservation. * Animal rights groups believe that animals are sentient beings that deserve rights comparable to those of humans. * The “conservation through utilization” principle advocates assigning economic value to wildlife. * Rural African

Cattle Out, Wildlife In (6-minute Video)

Along the eastern shores of Lake Albert in western Uganda's Hoima District lies a wilderness area you've probably never heard of. The Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve stands as the only ecologically intact savannah along a 200-kilometer stretch of lakeshore. Established initially as a controlled hunting area in

Can the Cascade from Wildlife to Cattle to Camels and Desertification be Prevented?

By Dr Daniel Stiles In Volume 61 of Patrol, a staff writer published ‘The Inevitable Cascade: From Wildlife to Cattle to Camels, Comparing the Desertification of Arabia and East Africa’. I would agree with every word in the title except for the word ‘inevitable’. I once called the camel “a

The Life Through Wildlife Strategic Plan (8-minute Video)

The Life Through Wildlife Strategic Plan (2025-2029) outlines a vision for developing an inclusive $30 billion wildlife economy in Southern Africa. The plan focuses on transforming conservation efforts by prioritizing community-led governance, sustainable financing, and knowledge-based capacity-building. These are the key aspects of the strategic plan.

The Busanga Plains: A Wetland Paradise Under Pressure

By Zig Mackintosh Saddling the Kafue National Park and the Lunga-Busanga Game Management Area (GMA) in Northern Zambia, the Busanga Plains span 720 square kilometers of seasonal floodplain. Through ancient flood channels, the Lufupa River flows, creating one of Africa's great wetland wildernesses that supports extraordinary biodiversity. From

The Right to Decide?

By Prof Brian Child Key Takeaways: * Rural African Communities should be allowed to decide whether to use a natural resource or not, and to benefit from it if they do. * Community conservation can be classified according to the degree of rights devolution. * Wildlife legislation in Zimbabwe was centered around the

Using Technology to Combat Poaching (9-minute Video)

In today’s world, technology has become part of everyday life. This applies even to the most remote wilderness areas in Africa. Cellphone coverage has enabled poachers in many places, including Coutada 11 in Mozambique, to communicate. Although coverage is not good across the concession, poachers are aware of the

Snare Wars Casualties (7-minute Video)

Since May 2013, the Phalaborwa Natural Heritage Foundation has added 8,000 snares to their “snare poles”, which already had 2,000 snares on them. These snares were collected during patrols by the organization’s rangers and during snare sweeps conducted by volunteers on various properties around the Kruger National

Simon Says – A Reversal of The Game: Pay Close Attention to What Those Who Wish to Ban Trophy Hunting Say

By Hank's Voice Hunting season is year-round, with no limits. The online and press version, that is, wherein very vocal, hateful people, brimming with bloodlust, hunt those on hunting safaris in Africa. These online predators typically hunt in packs, often reaching frenzied levels, in lynch mob, psychologically disturbing

Room for Cattle and Wildlife (8-minute Video)

The Wilberforce Ranch in the Matobo Hills of Southern Zimbabwe, Africa is a model example of how private enterprise and community involvement can mutually benefit from wildlife conservation. However, a crucial piece of tactics and technology is the fence line separating the cattle and wildlife sections. Keeping domestic cattle out

The Inevitable Cascade: From Wildlife to Cattle to Camels, Comparing the Desertification of Arabia and East Africa

Key Takeaways: * On the rangelands in Kenya, wildlife was replaced with cattle, which is presently being replaced with camels. * Although this appears to be an adaptive change, it is the next step in an unstoppable progression to ecosystem collapse. * The Arabian Peninsula provides a chilling preview of what's