Conservation Grant Awardees
Helping Conservation Worldwide
For a zoo our size it is unusual to have a wildlife conservation fund…but we do. We’ve had one since 1985 thanks to John Boyles and Dick Faber. Each year we look for projects where our small grants go a long way and make a big difference. We’d like to congratulate all the dedicated people who applied this year for the great work they do and thank our Footsteps sponsors and donors who make this Fund possible.
2012 Wildlife Conservation Fund Awards
Mapping the Kill: Predicting Tiger and Leopard Attacks on Livestock to Reduce Human-Cat Conflict in Central India
The project will map and model tiger and leopard livestock attacks around Kanha Tiger Reserve, India, to identify high-risk areas for grazing management. Funding will support the final season of data collection at kill sites in Kanha to use as a basis for predicting future kills.
Jennie Miller, PhD Candidate at the Yale School of Forestry
& Environmental Studies and Research Affiliate at the Wildlife Institute of India
Indigenous people protecting the threatened endemic Philippine tarsier and its forest.
The Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta) is endemic to the Philippines and its populations have declined sharply or locally vanished due to rampant wide scale habitat destruction and fragmentation. Our project will occur at the Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape, a proposed site for the UNESCO World Heritage List and a national and international hotspot for biodiversity. The vanishing B’laan Tribe will be the main participant of the project by gathering essential data on the distribution and population size of the Philippine tarsier to create the tarsier sanctuary, a protected area that will protect a viable population and its habitat. The proposed project was created to respond to the need of the B’laans to save the remaining population of the Philippine tarsier as part of their unique heritage and natural environment.
Pierre Fidenci , Endangered Species International
Community-based bat conservation programme for Myotis csorbai in Syangja district of Western Nepal.
Myotis csorbai species (critically endangered and endemic to Nepal) is found roosting from Kailash cave, which is the only recorded roosting site from Syangja District in the world. There is need of conservation awareness and community based bat conservation programme to ensure the survival of this species. Large mass of people need to be aware about its existence in the district, trainings to field staff need to be provided for updating the status of this species and their habitat, and bat house need to be installed nearby its roosting sites to provide safe place to live. Survival of this species is only possible if conservation program is lunched at the grass root level with community participation.
Laxmi Karki , Natural Resouces Research and Awareness Center, Nepal
Population Status of Mountain Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci) of Cherangini Hills. Do they exist or extinct locally?
Mountain bongo is one of the critically endangered species on earth with a population of about 75-140 individuals which is well below the 250 threshold of mature individuals. The data is based on the Abederes, Mt. Kenya, Mau forest and Eburru forest sub-populations. Cherangani population is not featured due to lack of sufficient data to belief or doubt existence of the species. The outcome of the study will be used to prepare a site management plan as well as educate the locals on importance to protect the forest which is a water tower and wildlife rich habitat. If mountain bongos are still present, then, it can be used to champion for tourism related ventures that will lead to protection of the species. If not, the habitat condition will be used to advocate for reintroduction and starting of a breeding sanctuary for the mountain bongo in the area.
Kimitei K. Kenneth and Tulele Alfred , Kenya Wildlife Service
2012 PASA Community Engagement Initiative for Primate Conservation
The goal of the Pan African Sanctuaries Alliance (PASA) Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) is to achieve long-term primate conservation across the continent by catalyzing positive behavior change among local communities toward protection of great apes and their habitat.
The Community Engagement Initiative will increase active community engagement in conservation by providing the forum, framework, and funding to leverage the impact of PASA’s 21 member sanctuaries who reach more than 725,000 people annually in 12 countries across Africa. The 2012 CEI will provide a central capacity-building workshop for member sanctuaries’ education and community officers, will produce a Community Engagement Project Portfolio, and will implement community conservation projects among PASA’s 21 primate sanctuaries.
Susan Lutter, PASA