Our vision is to make Southern Africa a region where carnivores are managed in an ecologically and economically sustainable manner, free from irrational and unnecessary persecution.
MISSION
The Carnivore Conservation Group promotes research on carnivores with special emphasis on those aspects that will improve their conservation status through the implementation of sound management strategies.
HISTORY
The Carnivore Conservation Group was conceptualised in 1995 when Dr John Ledger invited Dr Gus Mills, then a scientist with South African National Parks (SANP), to form a working group of the Endangered Wildlife Trust. The objective was to address the situation regarding the conservation of carnivores in southern Africa and even further afield, particularly those species that are vulnerable or endangered.
Dr Mills' association with the EWT goes back to 1974 when, as a Master’s student studying the brown hyaena in the southern Kalahari, the EWT provided him with radio tracking equipment. This was in fact only the second project sponsored by the Trust. When he moved to the Kruger Park in 1984 the EWT became more involved with his carnivore research providing sponsorship for radio tracking equipment for further wild dog and cheetah studies. In 1986 Mr. Pat Fletcher became involved with fund-raising and financial administration of these projects.
The flagship species of the Carnivore Conservation Group became the African wild dog, southern Africa's most endangered carnivore and one of the most endangered carnivore species in the world. The wild dog has been the focus of a major study program in the Kruger National Park since 1990, a study that has been largely sponsored by the EWT, including three population surveys. The Park contains the only viable population of wild dogs in South Africa, and the information and knowledge gained from this study has been used to improve management strategies for the species. In 1997 an International Workshop on the conservation of the wild dog was held in Pretoria. Out of this workshop the Wild Dog Advisory Group (WAG), was formed. WAG’s major objective is the establishment of a second viable population of wild dogs through the establishment of several small populations that will be managed as a metapopulation. This goal is close to being realized.
Other research projects – several of which are ongoing – have focused on a range of both large and small carnivores, including lion, hyaena, honey badger, African wild cat and cheetah. The unifying theme of these projects is the emphasis on employing sound scientific methodology to develop conservation strategies.
Dr Mills retired as head of the CCG at the end of 2005 to take up ecological field studies in the Kgalagadi TFCA and his position was taken up by Harriet Davies-Mostert. Harriet has been part of the CCG team since 1999 - first in Kruger National Park and later on the Venetia/Marakele Wild Dog Metapopulation Project.
MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE OF THE CARNIVORE CONSERVATION GROUP
Manager: Harriet Davies-Mostert
Conservation Administrator: Marion Burger
MEMBERSHIPS
WILD DOG ADVISORY GROUP (WAG-SA)
Harriet Davies-Mostert: Chairperson
Marion Burgerr: National Secretary
SHASHE-LIMPOPO PREDATOR RESEARCH GROUP (SLPRG)
SOUTH AFRICAN LEOPARD FORUM (SALF)
AFRICAN CHEETAH INITIATIVE (ACI)
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