Zambia Red Caps Programme

To monitor, understand and resolve human–wildlife conflicts in Zambia by training local people

Facing severe human-wildlife conflict in the eastern buffer zone of Zambia's South-Luangwa National Park, Awely's Red Caps primary objective is to reduce these conflicts and alleviate the suffering of both people and wild animals. The programme's actions contribute to a reduction of loss in human properties and lives, as well as to a decrease of snaring, poaching and retaliation killing of conflict species.

The Awely Red Caps Programme follows, in each country where we work (Zambia, Tanzania, India and Nepal), the exact same model, based on key actions, adapted and adjusted to the local situation where the project is implemented.

Since 2008, our three Red Caps have been conducting the following activities:

• Detailed assessment of human-wildlife conflicts especially with elephants, but also hippopotamuses, crocodiles, baboons, warthogs and predators. On a project area of about 2000 km^², the Red Caps regularly visit farmers and villagers having conflicts with wildlife, interview these victims and investigate the damage and gather traces of the conflict species. This difficult task is absolutely essential to get a thorough understanding of the situation and to develop efficient mitigation techniques.
• Educating those who frequently come into conflict with wildlife on how to prevent or reduce those conflicts. For this, our Red Caps work with farmers, villagers in high conflict zones, herders or women fetching water as well as the young generation. For each target group, the most suitable methods are developed, including workshops on conflict mitigation techniques, posters illustrating the body language of elephants, booklets for the use in schools and teacher training.
• Reducing conflicts through the development of mitigation techniques in very close partnership with the farming communities and setting up alternative sustainable activities. To assure sustainability and cost effectiveness of these measures, we only propose techniques adapted to the social and ecological environment while also considering the long-term maintenance costs.

The Awely South-Luangwa Red Caps Programme is coordinated in collaboration with the South Luangwa Conservation Society, a non-profit organisation based in the programme area. They are committed to the conservation of the local wildlife and natural resources of the national park and surrounding game management areas.

WAZA Conservation Project 10028 is implemented by Awely – Wildlife & People, with support provided by Amnéville Zoo and Natura Artis Magistra and the involvement of the South Luangwa Conservation Society.

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