The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus)
is one of Africa’s most endangered carnivores, Red Listed
by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
as an endangered species. African Wild Dog Conservation (AWDC)
is a non-profit organization established to conserve the endangered
African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus) population in Zambia,
one of only six remaining countries with large populations of
wild dogs.
AWDC commenced conservation research in 1999 in the Lower Zambezi National Park, recognising the need to understand the plight of the African Wild Dog to ensure its survival and ultimately to conserve vital habitat for this and other species in the region. In 2000, AWDC received not-for-profit status under the Zambian Societies Act, allowing the organisation to commence international fundraising efforts to support this vital research.
AWDC has since expanded its study area from the Lower Zambezi National Park, through connecting Game Management Areas into the South Luangwa National Park. Work is now centred on establishing a large population of wild dogs in Eastern Zambia throughout this protected area network, in partnership with the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA).
AWDC’s Goals
To safeguard the African wild dog and its habitat in Zambia through scientific research, community education and conservation activities.
To utilise the endangered African
wild dog as a flagship species for large scale habitat conservation,
which in turn will benefit many other species.
To provide information and recommendations
to the Zambia Wildlife Authority, and support them in all efforts
to safeguard the future of wild dog habitat and protected areas.
To increase knowledge and understanding
of the African wild dog and contribute to the conservation of
the species as a whole.
To build capacity within local
Zambian organisations and government bodies for the sustainable
conservation of the African wild dog and its habitat.
Project Staff
Matthew Becker Project Manager
Matt is a wildlife ecologist that has just joined the project this year and is excited to work with AWDC. He received a bachelor? degree with majors in wildlife ecology, biological aspects of conservation, and entomology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is just completing his Ph.D. from Montana State University, where he was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship to research gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park. He has worked for over 16 years on a variety of wildlife field research and conservation projects in North America, Antarctica, and Africa, studying numerous endangered species, including African wild dogs in Botswana.
Matt will be coordinating the project activities with the support of the Zambia Wildlife Authority and WWF-Netherlands. His fields of research interest and expertise include predator-prey dynamics, conservation biology, and behavioral ecology.
Ecology Staff
Jassiel M'soka ..........Claire Harrison ........ ..Lyson Mwanza
Gibson Banda ......... Egil Droge ........Thandiwe Mweetwa .....Alstone Mwanza
Jassiel M'soka Jassiel is the Wildlife Ecologist for the Zambia Wildlife Authority’s Lower Zambezi Area Management Unit, where he is responsible for all research in the lower Zambezi area. He has just joined the project and will be working via a part-time secondment from ZAWA to conduct the collaborative carnivore research and monitoring work in the park and surrounding area with AWDC. He has extensive experience in a variety of wildlife research arenas and a degree from the University of Zambia.
Claire Harrison Claire has joined us after working with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service for 2 years, and holds a Masters Degree in Applied Science : Wildlife Health and Population management, and a B.Sc (Biology and Anatomy and Histology). She has extensive experience in radio telemetry with various species, animal trapping and monitoring, project design, ArcGIS mapping, community education, DNA analysis and IT skills. As AWDC Ecologist Claire will be coordinating and implementing AWDC's fieldwork programs, as well as assisting with our community education programs.
Lyson Mwanza Lyson has been responsible for conducting community surveys on wildlife conflict in collaboration with AWDC and will now also be lending his plant expertise to assist in vegetation surveys throughout the valley. Such work requires a lot of skill and knowledge of plant identification, not always a strong point of mammal biologists, and so his contributions will be very valuable. He is also employed through SLAMU as curator of the herbarium and has lived in the valley for many decades.
Gibson Banda Gibson has also joined us this season to work as a scout and member of the field crew. His training and experience will allow us to better respond to situations such as snare removals and investigating poaching activity as well as to conduct routine activities such as investigating animal mortalities, collecting data on prides, packs, and clans and conducting vegetation surveys. In addition to his key role as a scout Gibson already will be trained in various wildlife research and monitoring techniques to further his already extensive experience.
Egil Droge Egil holds a Masters degree in Ecology, a Masters in GIS and has considerable experience working with international field projects including work with Durrell Wildlife on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, and fieldwork in Botswana working with African wildlife. He has extensive experience with mammal-trapping and radio telemetry. Returning to Holland Egil worked as a GIS consultant before his heart drew him back to Africa. After a volunteer period with AWDC he has now joined the staff as Assistant Ecologist, where he will be coordinating the volunteer programs and assisting the Project Ecologist with fieldwork and GIS research.
Thandiwe Mweetwa Thandiwe has just started working with us this season and is continuing her studies at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Thandiwe grew up here in the valley and was identified early on as a very promising and motivated student by the Chipembele Educational Trust. She has excelled in her studies and is planning to eventually go to vet school. During her time here she’s quickly become an important member of the team and gained valuable experience in wildlife research techniques that will further her career aspirations.
Alstone Mwanza Alstone is an assistant to the Area Ecologist Priscilla Sichone and as part of our collaborations with ZAWA we are hoping he will also be spending part of his time conducting research on the various carnivore species both to assist us with his skills and experience and to become well-trained in all wildlife research techniques for his work in the valley.
Dr Kellie Leigh Founder After completing her undergraduate Honours degree in Environmental Biology at the University of Technology in Sydney Kellie moved to Zambia and worked as a safari guide in the Lower Zambezi Valley, while looking to establish a research project . In 1999 Kellie commenced full-time research, education and conservation work on the African wild dogs and subsequently founded AWDC. She later completed her PhD on the Ecology and Conservation Biology of African wild dogs through University of Sydney; her key fields of research expertise include conservation biology, population genetics, wild dog behaviour and demography, and spatial ecology. In 2005 Kellie began expanding AWDC's activities into South Luangwa National Park and adjoining Game Management Areas in Eastern Zambia.
In 2007 AWDC is a successful, internationally funded project, with three full time staff, a volunteer program and several local project partners who are assisting to implement AWDC's activities and will increase the project's sustainability. From June 2007 Kellie moves into a Trustee position for AWDC, based back in Sydney, after ten years in Zambia.
You can now contact Kellie through her new wildlife and landscape art website, www.bushpalette.com
Project Partners
AWDC is working with a selection of local conservation and education organisations to integrate wild dog conservation into existing programs and increase the sustainability of the project. To learn about our project partners click here.
The Luangwa Valley Carnivore Monitoring Project AWDC has been working with guides from both South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi to launch a guide-run cooperative carnivore monitoring program for both parks. Read all about The Luangwa Valley Carnivore Monitoring Program here!
