Africa is known for its incredible biodiversity & the picturesque backdrop that house its iconic species. However, with forever increasing human populations & anthropogenic pressures on wildlife populations, numbers continent-wide are dwindling. Africa’s species need our protection & local wildlife research organisations are taking big leaps forward in working towards this common goal. Understanding the ecology of species, such as the big 5, to ensure their longevity, is crucial.

Wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting wild plant and animal species and their habitat. The goal is to ensure that nature will survive the many generations to come so that they may enjoy & recognize the importance of wildlife & wilderness for humans & other species alike. Conservation is a collaborative effort between communities, landowners, policy makers, educators, scientists & so on. This requires a highly skilled research team on the ground daily.

The Big Five refer to African lions, leopards, rhinoceros and Cape buffalo. Although they are very dangerous animals they are not invincible and the African lion, leopard and elephant are all classed as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The black rhino is ‘critically endangered’ and the White rhino is ‘Near Threatened’. These animals are still hunted and this project aims to work with local and national authorities as well as the local community to preserve and protect the Big Five.

Ongoing support and a provision of funds will enable the hub to purchase scientific equipment, sustain salaries for a skilled research team, maintain a basic base with amenities and upkeep vehicles used in the field daily. This team is then able to carry out vital research on Africa’s iconic Big 5 & a host of other species. Info gathered by this team will be used to make well-informed decisions for the reserve as well as contribute to scientific papers accessible to the greater scientific world.

This project will directly contribute to the conservation of South African wildlife. Research allows us to gain a better understanding of the incredible wildlife with whom we share this planet. It is from here that are able to properly manage and protect these species for generations to come.