The purpose of this building block is to ensure that the broader communities are involved in the conservation efforts through activities that they are passionate about i.e youth through sports, school children through reading programmes. This helps to improve the connectedness that the local people have with the rhinos and they value the rhino more. 

After obtaining the permanent status of the Mangabe Protected Area in 2015, the first management plan was developed and implemented. In August – December 2019, we already ran community consultations on what should be included in the new management plan. In 2021, we ran three workshops to update the management plan. The first workshop involved MV team members and the regional representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. The aim of this workshop was to write the updated management plan and to prepare the following workshops. Following the protected area management law, the updated management plan was presented, discussed and approved at regional level on 19-20th August 2021 involving regional and local authorities. In the end, Madagasikara Voakajy team made relevant changes according to the feedback received. Then, to comply with the law, the management plan was validated at the national level during a meeting of the protected area management committee on 22nd October 2021. The updated management plan includes the valorization of natural resources and improvement of human well-being. After doing relevant changes from participants ’feedbacks, the updated Mangabe management plan was ready to share with relevant authorities on January 2022.

An excellent communication plan/network with different stakeholders was initiated across different levels. From the inception of the project, the community and other stakeholders were constantly capacitated on how the project is going. A relay of relevant vulture conservation and policy issues was achieved to the target stakeholders within the communities and KAZA TFCA.

The achieved results relied heavily on the collaboration and cooperation partnerships among various stakeholders, including government agencies, conservation organizations, scientists, and local communities. Collaboration with the Ministries/Government departments was key in sensitizing the communities on issues around human-wildlife conflict and suggested environmentally friendly ways to mitigate the conflict. The scientists were there to collect information related to wildlife poisoning and give feedback to the government ministries. The communities were the key stakeholder since they are the sole custodians of the environment.

The drone unit started operational activity in August 2018 with a quadcopter drone equipped with a thermal night vision camera, because sea turtles’ nest at night. As the operation and use at night requires advanced skills, rangers are trained as drone pilots.

The mobile vehicle patrols cover daily several dozen kilometres of beach per night with high poaching risks. At strategically selected points or in case of suspicious circumstances (e.g. tyre or footprints), the patrols were stopped and the area was searched with the drone. A large part of these missions take place accompanied by one or two police officers. For operations without police, the authorities are to be alerted, as direct contact of the team with the offenders must be avoided.

Furthermore, the team is equipped with binoculars and radio devices. The rangers can communicate with each other practically at any time and without being noticed. This way they are virtually inaudible on the beach in the dark, but they always have all the information they need. Communication training in different situations is conducted regularly. So the rangers learn how to tell the team on the radio precisely what a person is doing on the beach, where they are and where they are going. A skill that enables the rangers to observe a suspect with the divided team.

Our team has identified the importance of accurate data collection, regular monitoring and oversight of data is done by the science and research adviser and Chief Operations officer to ensure accurate data is uploaded to the database. Population management and scientific decisions concerning the rhino population in the country are guided by the data collected during monitoring conducted by our patrol teams. Data based inputs are used to define the carrying capacity for wild-life based tourism and to plan and manage conservation and development activities.

Creating an enabling environment that is conducive to business requires strategic investment in the financing initiative. This is inclusive of financial investment, equipping the business with the tools and resources necessary to conduct operations, and providing training and capacity building of community enterprises that are service providers to visitors.  

Before the assessment, stakeholders were planning separately in their individual organizations. The assessment brought together Uganda Wildlife Authority, Centre for Research Uptake in Africa, Local Government of Kanungu, Rubanda and Kisoro and other key conservation organizations such as Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Trust, International Gorilla Conservation Programme, United Batwa Organisation Development in Uganda, Bwindi Batwa Community Development Association and Uplift the Rural Poor to collectively come up with an integrated action plan and take responsibility for their actions and inactions. This had not taken place in a long period of time. After the integrated action plan, each actor was able to take up their share of actions.

To catalyze revenue generation via ETB, strategic long-term business partnerships must be fostered and established with international and national partners. This includes securing partnerships via agreements with profitable customer bases such as international universities and institutions that work with student groups seeking experiential learning. In addition, securing business agreements with community-based sustainable eco-tourism enterprises to provide key products and services that will enhance the experiences of customers and help the business achieve its goals 

After an initial delay, the rat eradication operation was conducted in two campaigns between May 31st and July 3rd 2022, with a gap of 17 days between them. Aerial broadcast of bait containing brodifacoum at 25ppm was carried out by drone (UAV), which was more economical than a helicopter but presented significant operational challenges. The two campaigns were each completed at a minimum target rate of 30kg per hectare, with higher application rates applied along the coast and on steep faces. Baiting was supplemented by hand on the rocky coastline and steep faces. Buildings were treated by hand-baiting and bait stations. A total of 7,183.65 kg of bait was applied, 6210 kg by drone and 973.65 kg by hand. Eight full bags of bait (181.6 kg) were left securely stored in case it is required for a biosecurity response.