Jamestone Smion Kamwendo

We are pleased to report that two training workshops for Wildlife Committee and Wildlife Club members were held from 10th-14th October and from 17th-21st October 2005 respectively. Altogether, 63 people attended the two workshops. The aim of the workshops was to train the members relevant skills and knowledge used in wildlife monitoring and surveying techniques as fundamental resource for wildlife conservation. Members learned that some of the modern monitoring and surveying techniques such as radio-colar tagging, notching, tree barking and painting are expensive and unsustainable. Therefore, members were taught non-invasive monitoring techniques such footprint identification technique (FIT), droppings count technique (DCT) and Nesting Counting Technique (NCT). Further, members were also taught that vegetation is monitored using transect walks technique and systematic or random sampling technique. Further, members were taught some of the surveying techniques such as population census technique, aerial survey technique for animals in winter, vocal cords technique and road side survey technique.

At the end of the two workshops, the participants assure the project team that they would perform their duties in a professional manner to ensure effective wildlife conservation of the cheetah and other wildlife in Kasungu Wildlife Reserve.

In August 2005, the project team in collaboration with traditional leaders (TAs), the faith community, selected local communities, stakeholders and school pupils embarked on the rehabilitation exercise of the degraded wildlife habitats in Kasungu wildlife Reserve. The project team members teamed up with TA Ndaka (Fig. 1) in purple spotted hat to lead his subjects (local people) in the area to plant more tree seedlings that were raised in some parts of the degraded areas in order to reclaim all parts of the wildlife reserve that were encroached by local communities for subsistence agriculture. Further, the wildlife officer, Mr. Banda (Fig. 2) led some school pupils from Kaufulu Primary School to plant more trees in all degraded areas in order to bring back the original vegetation for the benefit of the wildlife but also for their own benefits. About 1,896 native tree seedlings were planted during the whole exercise. I am pleased to report that this exercise will continue for the rest of this year to ensure that all degraded habitats of the wildlife reserve are substantially reforested to enhance wildlife populations as there will be many suitable habitats and enough food for all animals in the reserve.

Picture shows Dr Bhima teaching school pupils on how to plant trees in degraded habitats.

From 10th -23rd July 2005, the project team visited seven villages around Kasungu Wildlife Reserve. During the visit, the team with favour from traditional leaders lobbied local communities and stakeholders in the seven villages to form wildlife management committees and clubs. I am, therefore, pleased to report that 7 wildlife management committees and 12 wildlife clubs (Fig 1 & 2) were successfully formed around the reserve. These will be responsible for training other local communities and school children on wildlife conservation but also patrolling, monitoring, confiscating illegal weapons and enforcing by-laws.

Members from these committees and clubs were also trained on fire fighting and monitoring techniques. The training focused on how they could monitor the outbreak and movement of fire. They were taught that the effective way of controlling fire is by constructing fire breaks (50 m wide) and planting hedges of non-deciduous plants around the reserve. Members were also encouraged to monitor, report and/or catch any suspect believed to set harmful bush fires so that he/she must be prosecuted accordingly. At the end, the members were happy for being elected and ensured the project team to fight against poaching, deforestation and setting of bush fires in the area.

Picture shows Matenje Wildlife Management Committee

On 5-15th May 2005, the project team along with 70 representatives of local communities and their traditional leaders carried out vegetation surveys to identify tree and other plant species that were destroyed by human activities in order to restore and rehabilitate degraded habitats on which the cheetahs and other animals depend upon for survival in Kasungu wildlife reserve. The survey revealed that 27 plant species were destroyed in various habitats. Then, 25kgs of seeds of the plant species destroyed were purchased from seed bank at Forestry Research Institute of Malawi. Further, 7000 polythene tubes, 14 rakes, 14 hoes, 14 panga knives, 14 water cans, 7 wheel bars, etc., were bought and distributed to the representatives of the local communities to assist them on nursery establishment and seed raising.

I am pleased to report that from 8th- 20th June 2005, 350 selected local communities (50 from each of the seven villages who will serve as trainer of trainers) were trained on seed mobilisation and protection, nursery establishment and management, seed multiplication, seedling management and replanting. In total, 7000 seedlings of different native plant species (Fig.2) were raised and shortly will be replanted in all degraded habitats of the wildlife reserve.

The objective was achieved by distributing 350 simple calendars depicting wildlife, 750 leaflets, 250 office and school posters and 210 pamphlets carrying messages on the importance of cheetah and the consequences of cheetah poaching, setting harmful bush fires, deforestation and wildlife encroachment. The awareness materials also give communities possible solutions to the conservation problems of the cheetah and other wildlife that are experienced in the area. In addition, awareness campaigns were carried out by organising theatre troupes to take environmental and conservation messages to communities, schools (Fig. 1) and stakeholders in the area. These activities played significant role in articulating peoples’ knowledge and understanding of the problems affecting the protection of the cheetahs but also the benefits of protecting them against anthropogenic activities. The activities undertaken also strengthened peoples’ knowledge, attitude and practices to towards conservation and management of the wildlife in the area.

Photo:  public awareness raising campaign