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WCC 2016 Res 014 - Activity Report

Submitted by Andre.BOTHA on Fri, 12/06/2019 - 03:42
General Information
Combatting the illegal poisoning of wildlife
IUCN Constituent: 
Endangered Wildlife Trust
IUCN Constituent type: 
IUCN Member
Period covered: 
2019
Geographic scope: 
Africa
Country/Territory: 
Botswana
Eswatini
Kenya
Lesotho
Malawi
Mozambique
Namibia
South Africa
Tanzania
Zambia
Zimbabwe
In implementing this Resolution your organization has worked/consulted with...
IUCN Members: 
Ministry of Environment Wildlife and Tourism / Botswana
1ED46733-B8A3-E011-96D3-002655853524
BirdLife Botswana ( BLB ) / Botswana
Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife / Kenya
Nature Kenya - The East Africa Natural History Society ( EANHS ) / Kenya
Administracao Nacional das Areas de Conservacao ( ANAC ) / Mozambique
Peace Parks Foundation ( PPF ) / South Africa
9109EBA2-B8A3-E011-96D3-002655853524
South African National Parks ( SANParks ) / South Africa
Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries & The Environment ( DEA ) / South Africa
Southern African Wildlife College ( SAWC ) / South Africa
South African Hunters and Game Conservation Association ( SA Hunters ) / South Africa
Wildlife ACT Fund Trust ( Wildlife ACT ) / South Africa
SEO/BirdLife, Sociedad Española de Ornitología / Spain
Tanzania National Parks ( Tanapa ) / Tanzania
BirdLife International / United Kingdom
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds ( RSPB ) / United Kingdom
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ( DEFRA ) / United Kingdom
US Department of the Interior (Fish and Wildlife Service) ( FWS ) / United States of America
International Crane Foundation, Inc. ( ICF ) / United States of America
Ministry of Environment and Tourism / Namibia
Namibia Nature Foundation / Namibia
Cheetah Conservation Fund ( CCF ) / Namibia
BirdLife Zimbabwe ( BLZ ) / Zimbabwe
IUCN Commissions: 
7C65119C-8352-E711-B126-005056BA6623
F717E09E-5094-E611-97F4-005056BA6623
015DC7B3-D2A1-E611-B6EC-005056BA6623
035DC7B3-D2A1-E611-B6EC-005056BA6623
215DC7B3-D2A1-E611-B6EC-005056BA6623
355DC7B3-D2A1-E611-B6EC-005056BA6623
3B5DC7B3-D2A1-E611-B6EC-005056BA6623
455DC7B3-D2A1-E611-B6EC-005056BA6623
2B15A7F1-FA66-E711-B126-005056BA6623
515DC7B3-D2A1-E611-B6EC-005056BA6623
737814D0-7DB2-E711-9D76-005056BA6623
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1D5EC7B3-D2A1-E611-B6EC-005056BA6623
375EC7B3-D2A1-E611-B6EC-005056BA6623
3B5EC7B3-D2A1-E611-B6EC-005056BA6623
IUCN Secretariat: 
Yes
Other non-IUCN related organisations: 
The Peregrine Fund, Hawk Conservancy Trust, Raptors Botswana, NARREC, Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Zambia), Zambia Carnivore Project, African Parks, African Lion Working Group, Gorongosa Management Authority, Caracal, Vulture Conservation Foundation, Grumeti Wildlife Fund, Conservation South Luangwa
Implementation
Indicate and briefly describe any actions that have been carried out to implement this Resolution: 
ActionDescriptionStatus
Capacity-buildingConducted 13 Wildlife Poisoning Response Training workshops to 392 learners from Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Tanzania and South Africa during 2019. Funding provided by the US-FWS, Hawk Conservancy Trust and University of Reading (UK). Commenced with the training of trainers in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Namibia to expand the training skills base. Trainers trained in Kenya in 2016 and 2018 conducted another 37 training workshops reaching more than 1200 people from a range of sectors. We have also been invited to conduct the same training at key sites in Uganda, Cambodia and India in 2020.On-going
Capacity-buildingFollowing at least four incidents where working dogs were targeted and killed by means of poison baits during pursuit by suspects in Tanzania and Zambia in 2019, we have been in discussions with the Junta Andalucia in Spain and Working Dogs for Conservation in the USA to assist with improved aversion training among working dogs in Africa to reduce the risk of these incidents being repeated. We are also focused on establishing training capacity in Africa to train Poison Sniffer Dogs at known Wildlife Poisoning Hotspots across the continent to assist people in both a preventative and responsive approach. On-going
Convene stakeholders/NetworkingWe have convened a meeting of partners from South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya to discuss the implementation of the concept of Vulture Safe Zones at various key locations in these countries. A major focus of the work conducted in VSZ's is to combat the impact of wildlife poisoning. At least four new Vulture Safe Zones were established in South Africa in 2019.On-going
Education/Communication/Raising awarenessWorking with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, we produced an awareness video product aimed at a range of audiences, including African governments, highlighting the plight of Africa's vultures and the impact of poisoning on these birds. The product has been used extensively during conferences, training and meetings with government officials. Link to the product is shared below.On-going
Field activitiesWe have actively engaged in assessment and advising responsible authorities on appropriate preventative and responsive action in the Kruger National Park (South Africa), Etosha National Park (Namibia), Grumeti Game Reserve (Tanzania) and the KAZA-region (Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia) following a series of poisoning incidents with significant impact in these areas during 2019.On-going
Policy influencing/advocacyThe EWT has three representatives on the National Preventing Poisoning to Wildlife Working Group of the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and participated in the second meeting of this group in Pretoria, South Africa in August 2019. Andre Botha, manager of the Vultures for Africa Programme did a presentation to provide a broad scope of Wildlife Poisoning and its impact on the environment and human health during the meeting. A National Lead Task Team was also established during this meeting to specifically focus on the impact of lead on the environment and wildlife in particular and the EWT is represented on this Team by Andre Botha and Lindy Thompson. We are also working with partners in Namibia, Zambia and Botswana to establish similar Working Groups in those countries.On-going
Policy influencing/advocacyWe are currently working with partners in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia to draft National Wildlife Poisoning Response Protocols for implementation by stakeholders in identified poisoning hotspots.On-going
Policy influencing/advocacyWorking with partners BirdLife International, the IUCN SSC Vulture Specialist Group, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and others, we hosted a side-event at CITES CoP19 in Geneva on the 18th to support a greater focus on illegal trade in vultures and vultures parts in Africa, a significant number of birds killed for their parts are killed by means of poisoning. The motion from West Africa supported by the side-event was adopted by the CITES Plenary on the 20 August 2019 and vultures and the threats that affect them are now an item of focus on the CITES agenda and programme of work. On-going
Scientific/technical activitiesThe African Wildlife Poisoning Database continues to capture and collate data from known wildlife poisoning incidents across the continent. Established in 2012, the database currently contains data of 451 poisoning incidents reflecting 15,087 mortalities of 48 wildlife and 4 domestic animal species. We also launched a mobile phone App on the Survey123 platform of ArcGIS which fieldworkers can use to load data of incidents in the field.On-going
Scientific/technical activitiesWe are supporting the work of the Center for Forensic Science and Research in Pennsylvania, USA who is developing a simplified system for the collection of toxicological samples in the field that will exclude any biological material and therefore the need for permits to ship samples between countries. This will go a long way in simplifying the process of sample analysis in Africa where many countries do not have the capacity to analyse samples. We are also looking into viable options for in-the-field testing which will assist with rapid identification of substance used and appropriate treatment of poisoning victims that are found alive.On-going
Please report on the result /achievement of the actions taken: 
We are establishing a growing network of skilled, informed and prepared stakeholders that are able to act both preventatively and respond rapidly to wildlife poisoning incidents when they occur across 10 countries in east and southern Africa and have acquired additional resources to expand this capacity into other areas in Africa and known hotspots in areas that have not yet been reached in target countries such as Mozambique, Uganda and possibly Rwanda. As a result of the success of our work in Africa, we have also been invited to present training in Cambodia and Assam, India in 2020. Successful implementation of Wildlife Poisoning Response Protocols in Zululand, South Africa, The Luangwa Valley in Zambia and in Kenya has lead to an increased awareness and more rapid response to poisoning incident leading to reduced mortalities and an increase in the number of animals that can be successfully treated and released.
What challenges have you encountered in implementing this Resolution and what measures have you taken to overcome them?: 
The two most significant challenges in terms of implementation is lack of awareness and will from national governments with regard to this important matter. As reported, some progress has been made in terms of engagement with government in certain countries, but a lot more needs to be done, especially in West Africa. Capacity to analyse collected samples is often lacking many African countries.
Identify and briefly describe what future actions are planned for the implementation of this Resolution: 
Future ActionDescription
OtherWe plan to continue and extend our activities in terms of all reported actions reported on above in 2020. Training will be expanded to Uganda, Cambodia and India and we hope to have a corps of trained working dogs and handlers that can be effectively used to combat wildlife poisoning in most of the range countries we work in by the end of 2020.
Additional Information
External link(s): 
The African Wildlife Crisis - Causes, Consequences and Solutions.
Spatially explicit poisoning risk impacts the survival rates of an obligate scavenger.
Priority areas for the conservation of Old World Vultures
Vulture Conservation: the case for urgent action.
Protect African Vultures from Poison