Project Update: April 2005

Public awareness raising campaign.

From 2nd -15th March 2005 and 11th-23rd April 2005, the project team (Dr. Roy Bhima, Dr. Elizabeth Meke, Mr. Wilson Chaza and Mr. Jamestone Kamwendo) visited local communities around Kasungu Wildlife Reserve to raise public awareness on conservation problems associated with cheetah and other wildlife.

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.