Tusk Trust - Botswana Predator Conservation Trust

Botswana Predator Conservation Trust

Project Location: Ngamiland District, Botswana

Type of Project: Habitat & Wildlife Conservation, Environmental Education

Endangered species: Cheetah (1768), and African Wild Dog (1450)

Land under protection: 3000 sq km

No. schools supported: 12 (8000 pupils)

Background
The Botswana Predator Conservation Trust is led by husband and wife team Tico McNutt PhD and Lesley Boggs MA. Founded in 1989, the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust (BPCT) has expanded to cover all the large carnivore species in Botswana and is one of the longest running large predator research projects in Africa.

The program has a dual mission. Firstly - to study the behavioural ecology and communication systems of the African wild dog, cheetah, leopard, lion, and spotted hyena, and to apply this knowledge to promote solutions for the preservation of Africa's large predators and their habitats. Secondly - to link conservation and environmental issues to decision making in the ongoing development of rural Botswana.

The Project
The Government of Botswana, has entrusted BPCT with the task of leading northern Botswana’s conservation and research initiatives on all large carnivores and their associated habitats. The Okavango Delta, where most of BPCT’s research takes place, is a freshwater wetland of global importance. It is the largest Ramsar (International Convention on Wetlands) site on earth and was granted IUCN world heritage status by the World Conservation Union (IUCN)

BPCT research on wild dogs has made it abundantly clear that the health and welfare of the entire predator population is a key indication of overall health of the ecosystem. Thanks to a grant from one of Tusk's supporters BPCT is now able to keep track of their collared packs via aerial survelliance.

BioBoundary Project
The aim of the BioBoundary project is to use artificial territorial scent marks to limit movements by wild dogs into areas where they come into conflict with people and their livestock. To identify the chemical signals that African wild dogs use to mark their territory boundaries the BPCT established a Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry laboratory with a grant from the Paul G Allen Family Foundation. The aim of the BPCT BioBoundaries Project is to deploy artificial territorial scent marks, formulated with chemicals identified in natural wild dog marks, along protected area boundaries to create “virtual” neighbouring packs that will deter dogs from crossing into areas where they are at risk. The stakes are high; population models predict that wild dogs will be extinct in the wild in 50 years unless new ways are found to protect them. Two of the Tusk team are seen here collecting scat for analysis with Tico.

Download a summary of the BioBoundary Project

Coaching for Conservation
Coaching for Conservation is a successful program created and run by BPCT to make sport synonymous with healthy lifestyles, respect for self, and respect for the natural world. It strives to engender a sense of community and self-respect among participants, to reinforce healthy core values and link conservation and environmental issues to real health and lifestyle decisions in developing Botswana.

The aim is to expand BPCT’s influence by continuing to provide international coaches and mentors to build skills and to provide young people with a positive outlook on life and the future. This includes training young adult local Batswana in coaching skills and techniques, including the importance of health, in order that they become mentors for young people in their own communities.

Education Centre
Last year, with Tusk support, BPCT broke ground and the Maun Centre for Conservation Education was started. The Centre will provide year round support to primary school teachers and coaches with much needed books, videos, microscopes and computers to help bring the values of conservation into to the classroom. The centre will also host trips from all the Maun primary schools for conservation programs like “a starry night” where the children will overnight in the centres dormitory facilities and learn about Botswana’s nocturnal wildlife. In addition, Tusk enabled a significant milestone for the program by providing funds for the purchase of a twenty-seat minibus that supplied much needed transport to move coaches and children.

Download a summary of the Coaching for Conservation Programme

Comments from the field

“Tusk�s ability and willingness to step in on short notice last year to help generate much needed funds and facilitate the acquisition of our program aircraft (a 1969 Cessna 182) made it possible for us to return to aerial monitoring of the large carnivore community in Ngamiland by mid year. The addition of the plane has enabled us to keep our conservation research program on track and productive. The return of a program airplane has also enabled Dr Tico McNutt to attend various far flung workshops and meetings during the last half of 2007, including the Strategic Planning and Priority Setting Workshop for Cheetahs and Wild Dogs in Southern Africa, held in Jwaneng, Botswana, as well as working group meetings for the reintroduction of wild dogs to eastern Botswana�s Northern Tuli Game Reserve, part of an important TFCA initiative involving Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana.”

Dr Tico McNutt, Chairman BPCT

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