:: THE CARNIVORE CONSERVATION GROUP

The Tony and Lisette Lewis Foundation provides core funding for running the Carnivore Conservation Group of the Endangered Wildlife Trust. The group promotes the conservation of carnivores through integrated research to develop and implement sound conservation strategies. The Head is Dr Gus Mills, Research Fellow with SANParks and Extraordinary Professor at the Mammal Research Institute, Pretoria University. Associates and collaborators are SANParks, Mammal Research Institute, Wildlife Conservation Research Unit Oxford University, the Cheetah Conservation Fund Namibia and the IUCN Species Survival Commission.

Endangered Species
The Endangered African wild dog is the flagship species of the CCG. An intensive research and monitoring programme in conjunction with SAN Parks has been running in the Kruger National Park, one of the last strongholds of the species, since 1989. The Wild Dog Advisory Group (WAG-SA) has been set up to advise on wild dog conservation management, including the establishment of a metapopulation, made up of a number of introduced, small isolated wild dog populations. This programme is backed by a cross-cutting biological and sociological research project aimed at extending our understanding of metapopulation management and finding solutions to wild dog/human conflict. Additionally research on the ecological, sociological and economic aspects of conserving wild dogs outside of protected areas in South Africa has been done.

Vulnerable Species
The lion and the cheetah are both classified as vulnerable. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park lion project established the status of this very important lion population and the threats it faces. A management plan to ensure its viability was drawn up. The Makgadikgadi lion project looked at the ecology of the lions in the area and conflict with surrounding communities.
The Cheetah censuses in the Kruger National Park and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park have established the status of cheetahs in these two parks. An ecological cheetah study in Kruger has enhanced understanding of the species’ ability to adapt to a woodland environment. The Namibian cheetah research programme enhanced understanding of the problems and solutions of coexistence of cheetahs with farmers.

Other Species
An education poster on hyaenas has been produced in English, French, Afrikaans and Swahili and distributed throughout Africa. The Makgadigadi Brown Hyaena study has produced evidence that hyaenas living on the border of the national park may do better than those living in the park because of a steady, all-round food supply from cattle posts. A census technique for spotted hyaenas using play back recordings has been developed.

The Kalahari Honey Badger study was the definitive field study on this species. It is presently being followed up by the Kalahari African wild cat study, which is also the first field study of the ancestor to the domestic cat.

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