​CCB looks on with great pride at the work of Marie-Charlotte Gielen, one of our resident PhD candidates. Marie recently joined forces with Leopard Ecology & Conservation (LEC) and WildCRU to facilitate a tracking training workshop for Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) officers in Khutse Game Reserve.
 
The training engaged 15 officers from the Central District DWNP Research and Problem Animal Control (PAC) departments. The focus of the training was the identification of large- and medium-sized Kalahari mammal tracks. Marie, whose PhD research incorporates the technologies of indigenous trackers from the western Kalahari, and Alessandro Araldi introduced the DWNP team to the concepts of how track surveys can be used for population estimates and fence surveys with varying methodologies and the support of CyberTracker and QGIS software.
 
The different workshop themes were:
1. How to assess human-wildlife conflict incidences through track identification and ageing.
2. Population density estimation.
3. Wildlife interaction with fences.
4. Management implications and recommendations that can arise from these surveys.
 
“The first three themes had a theory component given at the LEC camp, followed by a practice component in Khutse Game Reserve including practice with the data capture and mapping software” says Marie, while “the fourth was basically an applied summary of the workshop with a take home message.” 
 
On her particular role in the process, Marie shares that “it involved preparing and giving lectures on track identification and ageing, the use of tracks for population density estimation using the Formozov-Malyshev-Pereleshin (or FMP) formula, the question of detectability in wildlife monitoring techniques and track surveys in particular, and assisting practice sessions on QGIS & Excel on computer, and population density track surveys in the field.”
 
The display of skills by local trackers served as an inspiration to the officers, shedding light on the capabilities imbedded in applying oneself. This workshop is a good example of the ongoing collaboration between research groups through the Botswana Carnivore Forum. The Botswana Carnivore Forum (BCF) sees research and conservation organisations and individuals join forces to tackle regional and national conservation and research priorities to further advance conservation in Botswana. “Working together towards a shared goal, we are stronger and more efficient” says Jane Horgan, BCF steering committee member and CCB staff member. “We can achieve so much more as a group than we can just by focusing on our own activities and localities.”
 
The group attending the tracker training session’s enthusiasm and interest were encouraging to Marie “as we had two different departments (PAC and research), thus we tried to touch on aspects that could be interesting for both while keeping them accessible for both.” She reflects that they received heartwarming thank yous at the end from the attendees, “many saying that they learned a lot and feel they should share the new acquired knowledge with their peers, and keep applying it so as to not lose it.”
 
The group had stimulating discussions together on avenues to address requests given to the DWNP research departments by their superiors (e.g. how to identify elephants’ potentially newly established migration route in the Central District), using tracks but also other data, such as PAC data. “We offered to stay in touch, so they can reach out to us, if they wish, for some inputs on research design or questions about their own research that they would like to implement in the future.”
 
With Marie’s PhD work looking at conserving the Kgalagadi Wildlife Corridor, Marie-Charlotte is part of a great network of researchers and conservationists working toward realising coexistence. We look forward to seeing more of what comes from such collaborations, as we know the work ahead requires joint efforts for lasting success.

Photos courtesy of ​Leopard Ecology & Conservation.

​CCB would like to introduce our new staff members, who joined us in March to increase our capacity in our Communities for Conservation (C4C) department. Refilwe Baatweng joins us as our new Communities for Conservation Officer. Refilwe graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Social Sciences from the University of Botswana (UB) with majors in economics and environmental science. As an alumnus of the UB Wildlife and Environment Conservation Society and with experience with Kalahari Research and Conservation, Ghanzi District Council and the Ghanzi Land Board, her passion lies in raising consciousness on environmental issues at the grassroots level. As our C4C officer, Refilwe will support the design, implementation and monitoring of our community activities, including educational activities like school talks and environmental bush camps. Refilwe is joined by Titus Thabo Thomba, who is our new C4C Intern. Titus has a Bachelor of Science from the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources and a post-graduate certificate in Urban Nature-based Solutions. He has completed internships with the Department of Forestry and Range Resources, Department of Wildlife and National Parks and Botswana Envirolife Trust. Titus is particularly passionate about restoration ecology – an interest that will put him in good stead to tackle agricultural-based landscape degradation issues in our target areas. We welcome Refilwe and Titus to the team and send them our best wishes as they settle into their new roles!

​CCB’s Farming for Conservation department showcases predator-smart farming concepts during celebration days around the country. This allows us to reach farmers outside of our target area with techniques that can help farmers coexist with carnivores like cheetahs. CCB recently took part at the World Wildlife Day Commemorations on the 3rd of March 2023. The commemoration took place in Ghanzi under the custodianship of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, under the theme ‘’Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation”.
 
CCB set up an information stall which included a miniature demonstration farm, complete with two sheep, five goats, one fully trained LGD and six puppies in training. The demonstration farm exhibit showcased the practicalities of using dogs as a possible non-lethal predator control strategy in livestock farming. When CCB began work in the Kalahari, only 5% of smallstock (goat and sheep) farmers were using LGDs. A similar survey conducted in 2022 found that number has increased to 40%. This technique is growing in popularity amongst farmers and their effectiveness at reducing human-wildlife conflict drives us to promote their use to farmers whenever possible. 
 
CCB gave a brief speech about carnivore-smart farming, outlining the relevance and importance of the working in partnership with various other stakeholders towards effective conservation of Botswana’s wildlife species and the natural environment. The event was graced by the Honourable Member of Parliament for Ghanzi North, the Ghanzi District Commissioner, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Director and US-Embassy Representatives. 
 
In addition, CCB’s team hosted a stall at the Southern Beef Farmers’ Field Day, which was held on the 31stMarch and the 1st April in Jwaneng, the first time it has been held since COVID-19. The theme for this year’s event was “increasing the national herd – unpacking the beef value chain”. The event was attended by over 500 farmers, and key government officials, including the President of the Republic of Botswana Dr. M.E.K. Masisi. In addition to the CCB staff delegation, CCB sponsored 22 members of the Southern Livestock Farmers Network to attend the event, all of which had the opportunity to learn about advancements in the industry and share their coexistence knowledge with other farmers. 

​CCB has received a grant from the US Embassy for their Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation. The project sees CCB partnering with communities to investigate wildlife-based economic opportunities for diversifying livelihoods, building capacity for sustainable development and encouraging the preservation of the Western Kalahari wilderness area. This unique approach sees wildlife conservation working hand in hand with cultural preservation. The Kalahari San communities that share this landscape with cheetahs have a unique connection with the land. Since the start of the year, CCB staff have been working with the communities in the villages of Bere, Kacgae, East Hanahai and West Hanahai to form Indigenous Knowledge reference groups. These groups of volunteers, endorsed by the communities at large, include elders and members of the community who are particularly knowledgeable and passionate about the preservation of San indigenous knowledge (IK). Following the establishment of the groups in March, each IK reference group (one for each of the settlements) held their first meetings to map the course of activities to meet the goals of the project. Some areas of interest identified by community members are history, storytelling, dance, hunting, sculpting, music, and veld product identification and harvesting.  
We share the communities’ excitement about this development and look forward to helping support the groups with a range of activities over the upcoming years.