Large Carnivore Conservation and Community Engagement

Donors/Funders: 
Various granting institutions & private donors.
Implementers: 
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority ; Save Valley Conservancy ; Gonarezhou Conservation Trust
Countries: 
Objectives: 
(1) To maintain healthy, viable and well connected populations of African wild dogs and other large carnivores in Zimbabwe, as well as the habitats and prey species on which they depend (2) To improve school-based learning opportunities for the communities around Save Valley Conservancy and Gonarezhou National Park, to help improve people’s attitudes, knowledge, and behaviours with regards to wildlife, as well as to improve livelihoods (3) To improve tolerance of community members to large carnivores through mitigation of human wildlife conflict and the fostering of coexistence, with additional livelihood improvements

The African Wildlife Conservation Fund (AWCF) is a small hands-on organisation directly involved with wildlife conservation in Africa. Our current focus is on the conservation of large carnivores in the Zimbabwean part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area. Our species of focus is the endangered African Wild Dog.

Our mission is to maintain healthy and viable populations of African Wild Dogs and other large carnivores in Zimbabwe, as well as the habitats and prey species on which they depend. We achieve this through a combination of research, conservation and education, with a focus on improving school education standards and community livelihoods around key protected areas. AWCF works mainly in the Save Valley Conservancy and Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe. 

Our four key projects are:

Lowveld Wild Dog Project
Gonarezhou Predator Project
Schools Education Project
Community Projects

PAs: 
Save Conservancy; Gonarezhou NP
Specific Area (Village, Town, District, Province): 
Bikita District, Chipinge District, Chiredzi District, Zaka District, Buhera District
HQ of the Initiative: 
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
Timeframe: 
2005 to 2021
Is the timeframe likely to be extended?: 
Yes
Elaborate on likelihood to extend: 
Ongoing
Budget: 
180000.00
Currency: 
USD
Thematic Focus: 
Community Livelihood Dev, HWC mitigation, NR Protect & Mgt, Research
1st Contact Name: 
Rosemary Groom
2nd Contact Name: 
Jessica Watermeyer