Project Updates

Read more about the activities undertaken and findings of this stage of the project, funded with a RSG Booster Grant, in the final report below.

Read more about the activities undertaken and findings of this project in the final report below.

Read about the activities undertaken and the findings of this project in the final report below.

Read about the activities undertaken and findings of this project in the final report below.

A press report published this month in local Daily. We have acknowledged all the donors supporting Aaranyak's Tiger Research and Conservation Initiatives including the Rufford Small Grants Foundation.

The first phase of the project entitled “Mitigating human-wildlife conflicts in wildlife corridors” within the Tarangire-Manyara Ecosystem took off in April 2008 at District and village levels. At District level, consultation with Babati District officials, viz: District Executive Director, District Land and Natural Resources officer, and the District Natural Resources Advisory Body was held. At local level, consultation with Sangaiwe Village leaders,M wada Ward councilors and Tarangire Park staff took place and was followed with stakekeholder analysis exercise. Other activities which have been implemented in Sangaiwe village include: awareness education on importance of land use plans, training on participatory rural appraisal skills and preparation of Sangaiwe land use plan (see photos attached). Phase two of the project which is expected to begin after the long rains (September, 2008) will involve the two remaining villages (Kwakuchinja and Minjingu) and Lake Manyara National Park.

Read about his latest RSG project http://www.ruffordsmallgrants.org/rsg/projects/francesco_rovero

Read about his latest RSG project http://www.ruffordsmallgrants.org/rsg/projects/sameer_punde

The wet season (Dec –April) is a critical period for Niassa residents as they protect their crops, from warthog, baboon and elephant. It is also the peak period for lion attacks. Research assistant, Euzebio Waiti, radiotracked lions from his field in Mbamba Village throughout the rains in 2008. A radiomarked male lion and a pride of six females were regularly heard. The male killed a domestic cat in the village in February. Fortunately, no attacks of humans have occurred. 43 interviews were conducted in the fields; 62% of interviewees had seen signs of lions (roars, tracks, sightings), 15 people had seen lions and 10 of these sightings were at night. Five warthogs were reportedly killed by lions in the fields. This supports our hypothesis that lions are entering the fields due to the high prey density. High risk factors were assessed: 38% of interviewees slept in the open with no protection, and 82% walked alone at night.

From 14th-18th April 2008, the project team trained 97 law enforcers and 16 telephone and internet operators unique skills and basic knowledge used in identification of endangered wildlife (fauna & flora) species and their products which are smuggled from Malawi to other countries for trade. Of the 113 people trained in all the three regions of the country, 48% were females.

During the training workshop, participants were introduced to key flagship and endangered wildlife species that occur in the country and methods used for identification of these endangered wildlife species which include use of:
Malawi Red Data List Pictorial Guides;
Identification keys which is a bit complex for amateurs;
Common knowledge and professional judgement about species in question; and
IUCN reference materials, e.g. books (Fig. 3) and online publications.

I am pleased to report that at the end of the workshop, over 80% of the participants were able to use one or two of the methods effectively for identification a given endangered wildlife species.