Country brief: Cameroon

The supplementary feeding station for birds of prey in Fruška Gora National Park is crucial for birds of prey, especially during the winter.  However, the operationality of the feeding site has been suspended in the past few years, as it was no longer possible to provide pig carcasses from local farms due to appearance of the African swine fever in Serbia.

The project provided a solution for the long-term sustainable operation of the feeding site through the use of a terrain vehicle with a trailer for the transport of larger cattle carcasses. Additionally, a video surveillance system with an integrated species recognition software facilitates the monitoring of species at supplementary feeding station.  The National Park staff, in collaboration with the Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia, conducted raptor field monitoring activities, as well as capacity building activities for rangers and stakeholders for responding to emergencies involving birds of prey and education activities in nine primary schools in the area.

This Solution applies integrated river restoration and community stewardship to reduce key threats to the Critically Endangered Tradouw Redfin in the Huis River, South Africa. It combines invasive alien plant clearing, targeted riparian restoration, water-saving measures and community awareness to improve habitat quality and river resilience.

The approach addresses habitat degradation, invasive vegetation, water pressure and limited local awareness. By restoring riparian structure and coordinating action through a multi-agency Tradouw Redfin Working Group, the project improved river health indicators, restored critical habitat and strengthened long-term protection for the species through a formal Species Action Plan.

In Botswana, 40% of the territory is under some type of legal environmental protection, with 17% classified as protected areas. However, limited funding increased their exposure to habitat loss, ecosystem conversion, and other pressures. Protected area fees had not been updated since 2000 in the country, contributing to this situation.

The Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Botswana, with support from the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), revised protected area fees across all national parks and game reserves in the country, except the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Revised fees became effective on April 2022.

In 2023, protected area fees in Botswana generated around USD 7.8 million (BWP 103.9 million) of revenue, compared to USD 4.6 million (BWP 61.3 million) in 2019. This achievement strengthens biodiversity conservation in the country.

The Exclusive Artisanal Fishing Zone (ZEPA), located in the municipalities of Juradó and Bahía Solano, in Chocó, Colombia, was created to protect fishery resources and marine biodiversity, prioritizing artisanal fishing over industrial fishing. This initiative arose in response to overfishing and the negative impact of industrial fishing, which affected the livelihoods of local communities and marine ecosystems. By promoting sustainable practices, such as the use of more selective fishing gear, the ZEPA has facilitated the recovery of species and the protection of crucial habitats for marine megafauna, contributing to essential activities such as echolocation, feeding and reproduction of these species. In addition to conserving biodiversity, it has strengthened local economies by ensuring the availability of fishery resources for artisanal fishing. The ZEPA is an example of how community management and the protection of fishing traditions can lead to ecosystem conservation and improved quality of life for communities.

The “Sustainable Use of Mangroves in the WIO Region” project, funded by BMZ through WWF Germany, brings Tanzania’s dormant mangrove laws to life. In Kilwa and Pemba, the project supported villages and shehias to register or revitalize Village Natural Resources Committees (VNRCs) and Community Forest Management Areas (CoFMAs). Within 2 years of the project, 7 CoFMAs were established and 2 revived in Pemba; 3 VNRCs were established and 3 revived in Kilwa District. The project capacitated these local mangrove management institutions to develop and enforce mangrove management plans, establish nurseries, and launch restoration and monitoring efforts to recover degraded mangrove zones and address drivers of loss. While VNRCs and CoFMAs are now leading mangrove conservation and management in their areas, two and three mangrove CBOs were established in Pemba and Kilwa, respectively, and are now operational. This scalable solution shows that when laws move from paper to practice, blue forests and coastal livelihoods thrive together.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, home to over 10,000 plant species and iconic wildlife like mountain gorillas, bonobos, okapis, and forest elephants. Its ecosystems include the vast Congo Basin rainforest, savannas, wetlands, and montane forests, many of which are globally significant. However, this biodiversity faces significant conservation challenges, exacerbated by socioeconomic instability. Poaching, habitat destruction, and illegal wildlife trade are rampant, driven by the high demand for bushmeat and animal parts. Armed groups further complicate conservation efforts, creating insecurity in remote areas and impeding law enforcement’s ability to combat wildlife crime effectively.