Painted Dog Conservation

The Painted Dog Conservation Project (Dog Project) has been operating in Zimbabwe for more than ten years. In spite of the current socio-political conditions in Zimbabwe, that make it very difficult to carry out beneficial work, the Dog Project has continued to be a proactive example of responsible conservation.

Its main goal is to conserve and increase the range and number of painted (wild) dogs that are Africa’s most endangered carnivore – as few as 3000 exist in the wild. Based on the edge of Hwange National Park, the project has been able to help the dogs by means of anti poaching and community outreach programmes, as well as species research.

As importantly, the project has recognised the difficulties imposed not only on itself, but also on the local population by the socio-economic conditions in Zimbabwe, and has achieved considerable acclaim for its community development and education work in addition to its conservation. At a time when Zimbabwe’s immediate future looks bleak, the completion of the Community Conservation Education Centre represents hope for the children of Zimbabwe.

The development of this project brings genuine reason for hope to a beleaguered region. As well as teaching environmental science concepts and skills and promoting the conservation of painted hunting dogs and other endangered species, the project aims to assist the development of the local communities by providing stable employment and community available resources such as boreholes.

Community work at the Dog Project

The Dog Project’s community support is broad and effective. Firstly, the project’s staff is almost entirely local. In a time when unemployment in Zimbabwe rests at over 80%, the importance of local employment cannot be over-stated. Secondly, educational supplies and sports equipment have been regularly donated to schools in the area that could not otherwise source them. Workshops have also been held within the greater community encouraging the local people to become part of the conservation effort.

Most importantly, an environmental education programme has been put in place since the completion of a Community Conservation Education Centre (CCEC). The goal of the CCEC is not merely to teach new concepts about the environment, but to promote an emotional attachment to it that will lead to a broad change in attitude. The operation runs both a Bush Camp for children, and a visitor centre aimed at attracting Zimbabwean citizens and tourists in order to boost the local economy.

The objectives of the CCEC are as follows:

• To teach environmental science concepts and skills and promote the conservation of painted hunting dogs and other endangered species.
• To conduct rural appraisals of the social, economic and environmental perspectives of the local communities
• To provide recreational opportunities for local communities.
• To work with community leaders to develop skills and procedures for identifying, investigating and ameliorating environmental problems in local communities, such as unemployment and poverty, water shortages, illegal hunting and deforestation
• To provide opportunities for training in computer use and other career skills
• To provide employment during the building stage and afterwards to maintain the centre and its surroundings