Curtailing Human Lion Conflict and Restoring Lion Populations in Zambezi, Namibia

Transcription

1 Curtailing Human Lion Conflict and Restoring Lion Populations in Zambezi, Namibia A FINAL REPORT TO ZOOS VICTORIA INTERNATIONAL GRANTS PROGRAM DECEMBER 2014 Paul Funston PhD Senior Director, Lion Program PANTHERA 8 West 40th Street, 18th Fl, NY, NY pfunston@panthera.org Tel ; Fax

2 INTRODUCTION Through a generous grant from the Zoos Victoria International Grants Program received last March, Panthera has advanced efforts in the Zambezi region of Namibia to curtail human lion conflict and restore lion population in the region. We are pleased to present a final report on our activities, which included educating regional communities, safeguarding local livelihoods, training game scouts, and scientific research. Panthera works in partnership with the Kwando Carnivore Project, run by Lise Hanssen, to implement our conflict mitigation program in the MSC. Our other key partners include the Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC) and the Namibian Ministry of the Environment and Tourism (MET). Our work focuses on reducing human lion conflict in the cattle-farming regions between Nkasa Rupara and Mudumu National Parks of the Mudumu South Complex (MSC) of East Zambezi. In 2013 alone, lions killed 122 cattle and farmers killed 17 lions in retaliation. Most of these incidences were traced to one lion pride from the Nkasa Rupara National Park. The offending Lupala pride contained 15 individuals in early 2012 their numbers were reduced to three individuals by the end of Nearly the entire pride was shot, poisoned, or snared by farmers in retaliation for predation. Two cubs from the Lupala Pride 2

3 This MSC region was selected due to its alarming conflict statistics, as well as its geographic importance for regional lion recovery. Our objective in increasing the MSC s resident lion population is to ultimately restore connectivity between larger populations by providing additional dispersing lions into neighboring regions and countries. Our recent population survey, conducted this summer and subsequently submitted to the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET), recorded 60 individual lions inhabiting the region. Ecologically, the MSC could sustain a figure five times that number, but, due to the level of human encroachment and conflict, a population of individuals is more reasonable. Panthera works with the Balyerwa, Wuparo, and Dzoti Conservancies to improve their agricultural and husbandry practices, mitigate human-lion conflict, and design a monitoring and GPS radio-collaring program to aid in lion recovery. This project works to prevent economic loss to the community by curbing cattle predation, and protects resident lions by removing the incentive for communities to kill them in retaliation. ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2014 Our objective for this long-term project is to aid the recovery of the lion population in the Eastern Zambezi Region by educating local communities and safeguarding their livelihoods. Panthera is accomplishing our objective through a community-based conflict mitigation and research program. The Zoos Victoria grant helped us advance work toward our objective by supporting the following activities: 1. Assisting the community by upgrading existing kraals or building new lion-proof kraals (enclosures) in areas of high conflict. 2. Training local communities on better husbandry practices to improve rangeland resource use and reduce losses to lions. 3. Training a dedicated team of community game guards to assist with tracking lions and respond to urgent lion-related incidences within their community. 4. Developing an early warning system by using satellite/gps collars to transmit locations of lion prides and communicating their whereabouts to farmers and conservancies. Panthera is pleased to provide a detailed explanation of our activities below. 3

4 The large number of lions killed in Nkasa Rupara National Park in response to predation has resulted in social disruption and aggression between the remaining lions. Progress Against Activities 1. Assisting the community by upgrading existing kraals or building new lion-proof kraals (enclosures) in areas of high conflict. In September 2013, our team developed a list of 30 farmers for whom a lion-proof kraal would be constructed. These individuals were chosen from data previously compiled identifying farmers who had lost the largest number of cattle to lion attacks. Two trial kraals were built in the Dzoti conservancy in November Due to various unforeseen challenges in early 2014, including weather and mechanical problems with field equipment, kraal building recommenced in early July and 27 lion-proof kraals were built by October. In total, the 29 kraals provide shelter and protection to 2,625 cattle if used effectively and repeatedly. Kraal construction coordinator, Costa Silelo, fortifying the enclosure gates. 4

5 Table 1. The number and size of kraals constructed and number of cattle protected by 29 lion-proof kraals in the Mudumu-South Complex. Types of Kraals Number constructed Number of cattle protected 25 x 25 m kraals 20 1, x 40 m kraals 8 1, x 60 m kraals Total 29 2,625 To determine the effectiveness of our efforts, the team collected and compared cattle predation statistics from last year and the current year in the MSC. Comparing the data set from 2013 and 2014, 70% less cattle were killed by lions in 2014 than in This is perhaps due to the significant loss of lions within the region, particularly the Lupala pride, which had been predating on many of the cattle in the region. However, the construction of our kraals is also directly reducing lion attacks, as evidenced from the chart below. Table 2. Cattle losses to lions per conservancy in the Mudumu South Complex in 2013 Conservancy Balyerwa Dzoti Wuparo Total (%) # of cattle killed in 2013: While enclosed While grazing (34%) 80 (66%) # of cattle killed in 2014*: While kraaled While grazing (12%) 44 (88%) Total *Not including December 2014 when two cows and one lion were killed According to our data, unattended cattle grazing poses the greatest threat for predation with 172 animals killed over a two-year period. However, the relative percentages changed quite dramatically between 2013 and In 2013, 66% of the cows killed by lions were grazing, whereas in 2014, this had increased to 88%. Our data suggests that kraals our team have constructed are reducing lion attacks. Unfortunately, the majority of the remaining communityerected kraals are not fortified to withstand an attack by a lion. An additional 30 kraals remain in need of construction, and the team is scheduled to construct at least 20 new enclosures in 2015, if funds allow. We are pleased to report that surveys conducted in November 2014 indicate that 90% of farmers are using our newly constructed kraals. The farmers are no longer moving cattle to traditional summer grazing areas since they understand that the new kraals are safer. The 10% of farmers that are currently not using their kraals are grazing their cattle in traditional wet season areas and we expect will use the kraals in the dry season of 2015, if not sooner. 5

6 2. Training local communities on better husbandry practices to improve rangeland resource use and reduce losses to lions; Once the construction of the 29 kraals was completed, two trainings were held for farmers in late October Participation was high with a total of 165 farmers attending the sessions. The logic and rationale for the kraals was discussed, as was the system used to allocate kraals to specific farmers. The need for farmers to kraal and herd their livest ock was reiterated, but much more education is needed. Many farmers continue to graze their cattle unattended during the day. Cattle are still routinely predated by lions while grazing, and Children assist Costa during kraal construction lions are still being killed in retaliation. Farmers urgently need additional, comprehensive training about living with lions. To address this urgent need, next year we will begin a more comprehensive educational program highlighting the challenges and solutions to living with lions using documentaries of successful test cases from several other African countries. Hans Fwelimbi, a local from the Zambezi Region, is thriving in his position as the coordinator of the conflict mitigation program. Hans has extensive experience in the fields of training, military and anti-poaching, tourism, and farming. As the primary contact for the area s farming community, he was indispensable during the kraal construction and the farmer training workshops. He is continuing to assess kraal effectiveness during his outreach to the conservancies and is a valuable asset in our continuing effort to educate farmers on conflict reduction and improve animal husbandry. 3. Training a dedicated team of community game guards to assist with tracking lions and respond to urgent lion-related incidences within their community. As reported previously, Program Manager Lise Hanssen trained 30 game guards from Dzoti, Balywera, and Rupara on conflict assessment, specifically in the use of basic mapping techniques to identify high areas of conflict. The game guards, along with Lise and Mr. Orbitious Siyanga from the IRDNC, used the assessment to allocate priority areas for additional kraal building. Further training in dealing with problem lions and how to chase them out of key grazing areas and back to the safety of the protected areas was set to commence in August 2014, but the team met some obstacles. 6

7 The conservancy game guards were approached on various occasions to attempt to chase lions away when close to villages or kraals. However, they were not willing to do so, fearing prosecution by the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) if a lion was shot and also for their safety if a lion attacked. In 2015, we will strengthen our relationship with MET and the conservancy game guards to establish a dedicated and trained Conflict Mitigation Response Team. Wuparo Conservancy Game Guards learning how to identify human lion conflict hotspots 4. Developing an early warning system by using satellite/gps collars to transmit locations of lion prides and communicating their whereabouts to farmers and conservancies. MET deployed five satellite radio-collars on lions in the main study area. The information on the daily locations of these lions is invaluable for planning and informing the conflict mitigation program. Using this technology, we can now send the coordinator and game guards to areas of potential conflict before lions attack any cattle. Villagers are warned about any encroaching lions and the game guards assist them in how best to respond. The communities involved are particularly encouraged by this early warning system. The coordinator receives daily updates on the locations of the lions and conveys this information to community members largely on a needto-know basis. MET will deploy 30 active tags at key villages in the area. These active tags will inform villagers when lions are in the immediate vicinity of their kraals. Panthera has sent nine Vectronics satellite GPS collars to the Zambezi region for deployment in early

8 CONCLUSION Panthera is grateful for the generosity of Zoos Victoria. Together, this partnership directly safeguarded human livelihoods and increased awareness in the MSC region of East Zambezi, helping secure the future for lions in the region. While so much more work is required to restore lion populations in this turbulent area, we know continued community engagement will bring hope back for lions in Zambezi Panthera is working to ensure that the sun does not set permanently on the lions of the Zambezi Region 8

9 2014 Budget Report for Zoos Victoria Planned Program for 2014 Actual Income for 2014 Budget Item Salary, Project Coordinator: Lise Hanssen Salary and overtime for community game guards (Namibians) Salary for Conflict Coordinator: Hans Fwelimbi Salary kraal building team Cost Expenditures Source 9,000 Panthera 9,600 Panthera 7,500 Zoos Victoria 5000 Panthera 5,600 Zoos Victoria 1,900 3,000 Zoos Victoria BCI Kraal building (29 kraals) 8,000 Zoos Victoria 8,000 15,400 40,000 Zoos Victoria BCI IRDNC Refurbishing 7 GPS collars 4,000 Zoos Victoria 4,000 3,200 Zoos Victoria Panthera Vehicle maintenance & fuel Vehicle licensing & insurance Vehicle maintenance Mobile phones 7,500 Panthera 8,000 BCI 3,000 Panthera 3,300 Panthera 3,000 Panthera 3,210 Panthera 2,000 Panthera 1,000 Panthera TOTAL $49,000 $106,210 * Total funding sought from Zoos Victoria: 19,500 Total funds spent from Zoos Victoria: 19,500 * The program was awarded an unexpected and additional grant from the Millennium Challenge Account (administered by IRDNC) of $40,000, and a grant from National Geographic Big Cats Initiative (BCI) of $23,400. This increase in funding allowed us to upscale our kraal building plans from the 12 originally envisaged to the 29 kraals which were actually built. 9