SCI Foundation is refocusing its efforts in Africa to build on lessons learned from CAMPFIRE and other community-based wildlife management programs, as well as develop partnerships with wildlife agencies, communities, private sector hunting companies and other conservation organizations.

Mr. George Pangeti, SCIF's African Program Coordinator, helps facilitate and initiate our projects in Africa. In the early 1990's, Pangeti was the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife's deputy director and now is on the Board of Directors of the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority. He plays a major role in helping communities, government and private sector partnerships work together for wildlife conservation. In addition, the Foundation partnered with IUCN to sponsor a workshop to develop the community involvement in the program.

The 2005 Western and Central African Lion Workshop held in Duala, Cameroon was a success. Bob Byrne, Conservation Program Manager and George Pangeti both attended this workshop, which was divided into two separate sectors. The first, convened by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), focused on the current status and range of lions in the region. The second meeting developed a management strategy for lion in these regions. This conference developed a Region Wide Vision, Mission, Strategy, and Action Plan for lion management. This strategic plan strongly endorsed the use of lion hunting as a conservation mechanism. The Eastern and Southern African lion workshop took place in January 2006 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Both of these workshops set the stage for improved management and conservation of African Lions.

The 2005 African Wildlife Consultative Forum (AWCF) meeting was held in Mauritius from November 6-10, 2005. SCI representatives included Ron Maddox, Chairman of the Conservation Committee, Bob Byrne, Conservation Program Manager, George Pangeti, SCIF African Conservation Consultant, and also Linda Venter and Tersia Pelser from SCI's South Africa office. Participants at the meeting included senior wildlife governmental officials, outfitter representatives, and environmental non-governmental organizations from southern Africa. The AWCF meeting received progress reports in respect of the African Lion Workshops and the Regional Elephant Management strategy. Also discussed was the need to extend the range of protected areas to include those already guarded by the state, provincial and local communities and the private sector. The meeting unanimously agreed that hunting enhanced the conservation status of protected areas. Each attending country provided overviews of their management programs based on the questionnaire sent out by SCI. The reports are very useful in terms of enhancing the knowledge base for the better management of hunting in Southern Africa.

Conservation Efforts: ZiMoZa

Regional Strategy for Lions

Elephants and Ivory in Zimbabwe

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