“After years of in-kind support to ZCP through hosting staff at our camps and Wilderness guides contributing to sightings, data and assistance with collaring, we are pleased to formalise our support to help drive this important research in Kafue. ZCP’s work aligns closely with our three Impact pillars to Educate, Empower and Protect, with the latter focusing on human-lion conflict mitigation, which is a core impact focus area for us in this region”, noted Vince Shacks, Wilderness Group Head of Impact.
Now in its fourteenth year and one of the continent’s longest-running carnivore conservation efforts, the ZCP Kafue Project is also Zambian KAZA’s largest and longest-running conservation science programme. Founder Dr Matthew Becker, added: “Formalising our long relationship with Wilderness to help move conservation of the Kafue and its carnivores forward is a logical next step for us, and we look forward to working more closely together”.
In 2024, its GKE team conducted over 2,500 snare checks, and with collaborating partners, were able to de-snare seven large carnivores. “Across all sites, we conducted over 12,200 snare checks on large carnivores (73 prides and coalitions of lions, 39 packs and dispersal groups of wild dogs, 19 clans of hyenas, 18 coalitions and individual cheetahs) and with partners, we were able to de-snare 16 large carnivores”, he added. “It’s intensive, but this combined with the other aspects of field-based protection works, and our science demonstrates positive population impacts”.
“It is this proven track record of research results that drives our Impact Theory of Change”, Vince added. “ZCP’s work builds on several decades of proven methodology, long-term relationships, and successful interventions, and their monitoring and evaluation of their work has clearly demonstrated that field-based protection has a positive impact on carnivore populations”.
One clear example of the impact of de-snaring involves a lioness named Queen, who was de-snared by ZCP in 2013, and who was a regular sighting for Wilderness guests staying at Wilderness Shumba and Busanga Bush Camp in Kafue National Park (managed by African Parks in partnership with Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife). Sixty-five cubs and counting have been born to Queen and her offspring, securing the legacy of the Papyrus lions in Busanga.
In 2024, ZCP monitored over 30 lions (adults, sub-adults, and cubs) belonging to the resident Shumba Pride. The current matriarch of the pride, Princess, is Queen's daughter.
Various scientific studies conducted by ZCP have clearly highlighted that there are significant increases in African lion populations once effective protection measures are put in place, even in areas that are heavily impacted by prey depletion.
“Our research highlights how anti-poaching measures caused a large increase in lion cub survival to adulthood within the GKE, switching the population from decline to growth in these areas. However, populations continued to exhibit negative growth rates in areas without protection, which is why the support from the Wilderness Trust and our other partners remains critical”, concluded Matt.
Find out more about the Wilderness Trust at https://www.wildernesstrust.com.
