Framework Contract COM 2011 – Lot 1 Request for Services 2013/328436 - Version 1 Larger than elephants Inputs for the design of an EU strategic approach to Wildlife Conservation in Africa Volume 1 Synthesis December 2014 December 2014 Mis en oeuvre par AGRER – Ce projet est financé par l’Union Européenne Consortium B&S Inputs for the design of an EU strategic approach for wildlife conservation in Africa Final report Page 1 Volume 1 SYNOPSIS A joint patrol of Gabonese and Congolese forest guards with seized ivory in a poachers’ camp on the Ivindo River, Gabon-Congo border. Photo © Victor Mbolo - WWF Afar herdsman near the Filoha springs in Awash National Park, Ethiopia. Photo © M. Murray. Inputs for the design of an EU strategic approach to wildlife conservation in Africa Page 1 Final report Volume 1 SYNOPSIS TABLE OF CONTENTS 0 RATIONALE ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 1 INTRODUCTION AND SPECIAL FEATURES OF SUB SAHARAN AFRICA ................................................................. 8 1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE CURRENT STUDY ........................................................................................................................ 8 1.2 AFRICA – ICONIC WILDLIFE CONTINENT ........................................................................................................................ 8 1.3 PATTERNS OF WILDLIFE DISTRIBUTION .......................................................................................................................... 9 1.3.1 Prioritization approaches .......................................................................................................................................................... 9 1.4 THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SETTING ................................................................................................................................. 11 1.5 SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE REGIONS .......................................................................................................................... 13 1.5.1 Southern Africa ....................................................................................................................................................................... 14 1.5.2 Eastern Africa .......................................................................................................................................................................... 14 1.5.3 Western Africa ......................................................................................................................................................................... 15 1.5.4 Central Africa .......................................................................................................................................................................... 15 1.5.5 Madagascar ............................................................................................................................................................................ 16 1.6 THE ASIA DIMENSION ................................................................................................................................................. 17 2 CONSERVATION ISSUES AND CHALLENGES ........................................................................................................... 17 2.1 LOSS OF SPECIES ...................................................................................................................................................... 17 2.2 LOSS OF ECOLOGICAL SERVICES ................................................................................................................................ 19 2.3 DIRECT THREATS ...................................................................................................................................................... 20 2.3.1 Habitat loss and fragmentation ............................................................................................................................................... 20 2.3.2 Overhunting and overfishing ................................................................................................................................................... 22 2.3.3 Illegal wildlife trafficking .......................................................................................................................................................... 22 2.3.4 Alien Invasive Species ............................................................................................................................................................ 22 2.4 DRIVERS OF THE THREATS ......................................................................................................................................... 22 2.4.1 Population growth and poverty ............................................................................................................................................... 22 2.4.2 Poor governance ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23 2.4.3 Inadequate land tenure and local resource rights ................................................................................................................... 23 2.4.4 National and regional conflict .................................................................................................................................................. 23 2.4.5 Political indifference and lack of awareness ........................................................................................................................... 23 2.4.6 Climate change ....................................................................................................................................................................... 23 2.4.7 Endemic and emerging diseases ............................................................................................................................................ 24 3 ONGOING CONSERVATION EFFORTS........................................................................................................................ 24 3.1 INTERNATIONAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PLANNING FRAMEWORKS ............................................................................ 24 3.2 STRATEGIC APPROACHES .......................................................................................................................................... 24 3.2.1 Protected areas ....................................................................................................................................................................... 24 3.2.2 Devolution of wildlife management responsibility ................................................................................................................... 25 3.2.3 Landscape and Transfrontier Conservation ............................................................................................................................ 27 3.2.4 Combating illegal trafficking of wildlife. ................................................................................................................................... 27 3.3 INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERS ................................................................................................................ 27 4 LESSONS LEARNED AND PROMISING APPROACHES ............................................................................................ 28 4.1 PROTECTED AREAS ................................................................................................................................................... 28 4.1.1 Protected Areas have proved the test of time but require long term support. ........................................................................ 28 4.1.2 Governance and resourcing of PA / NRM agencies ............................................................................................................... 29 4.1.3 PA design: connectivity and the landscape approach ............................................................................................................ 29 4.1.4 Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA) .............................................................................................................................. 29 4.1.5 Public Private Partnerships for management of PAs .............................................................................................................. 30 4.1.6 Public Private Partnerships for wildlife management in buffer zones ..................................................................................... 30 4.1.7 Monitoring and research ......................................................................................................................................................... 33 4.2 ENGAGING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND CBNRM ................................................................................................... 33 4.3 UNDERVALUING OF ECOLOGICAL SERVICES ................................................................................................................. 34 4.4 LAW ENFORCEMENT .................................................................................................................................................. 34 4.5 WILDLIFE MIGRATION AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................................