WildAssist Africa™ supports existing biodiversity conservation projects in Sub-Saharan Africa with a focus on Southern Africa. The following projects are currently supported, but we are open to supporting other conservation projects in need of training, education, research support, veterinary services, forensic support, management expertise, and capacity building.

Current Projects

Khama Rhino Sanctuary Trust (KRST)

Khama Rhino Sanctuary Trust is a community trust caring for a significant population of Southern white rhinos on an 8,000-ha reserve in Botswana, home to a variety of other wildlife species. Dr Verreynne has been assisting KRST since 2006 and as WildAssist Africa™ is now working hand in hand with KRST to support the conservation of this important species by developing and supporting various project components.

Project components include:

• Developing individual rhino monitoring systems

• Area monitoring for illegal activity

• Identifying individual rhinos for management

• Veterinary support and aerial wildlife counts

• Training in wildlife crime scene awareness

• Invasive plant control and infrastructure development

Support for KRST comes through donations, Adopt-a-Project involvement, volunteer participation, and hands-on experiences during educational excursions. We hope to use lessons learned at KRST to expand support to all rhino populations in Botswana.

Limpopo-Lipadi Wilderness and Wildlife Reserve & Motse Community and Wildlife Conservation Foundation

Limpopo-Lipadi is a 20,700-ha wilderness reserve in Botswana’s Tuli Block, protecting diverse wildlife such as large predators, antelope species, giraffe, rhino, and elephant. Dr. Verreynne has been consulting reserve veterinarian for nearly 20 years. WildAssist Africa™ is proud to continue this association in working closely with Limpopo-Lipadi Wilderness and Wildlife Reserve to assist with the protection of various wildlife species.

Projects components involve:

• Developing rhino monitoring systems

• Individual rhino identification

• Veterinary support and rhino dehorning

• Wildlife crime scene awareness training

• Predator and elephant monitoring and management

Support includes donations, Adopt-a-Project involvement, volunteer work, and hands-on participation in educational excursions. Limpopo-Lipadi also serves as the base for our community spay and vaccination campaigns through the Motse Community and Wildlife Conservation Foundation.

Deception Valley Private Reserve (DVPR)

Deception Valley Private Reserve is a 43,000-ha private reserve in the Kalahari thornveld savanna, adjacent to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. It is the largest closed-system private game reserve in Botswana and protects a diversity of wildlife adapted to arid conditions. WildAssist Africa™ is working closely with DVPR to support biodiversity of such an important ecosystem.

Projects include:

• Wildlife monitoring and management

• Veterinary support

• Wildlife crime scene training

Support comes through donations, Adopt-a-Project involvement, volunteer opportunities, and educational excursions.

“Securing the Boundaries with Healthy Pets”

These project weeks involve volunteer vets, veterinary technicians, and veterinary nurses providing primary health care, sterilizations, and vaccinations to pets in villages surrounding conservation areas. The aim is to ensure healthy pets and owners while preventing disease spillover into susceptible predator populations.

Support is provided by arranging venues and volunteers, supplying infrastructure, and securing drugs and consumables through donations. We plan to conduct two spay and vaccination weeks per year.

Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence Projects

WildAssist Africa™ supports conservation NGOs working on human-wildlife conflict and coexistence promotion. Our support, flowing from more than 12 years of previous veterinary involvement, focuses primarily on veterinary and forensic services, including:

• Fitting tracking collars on predators

• Providing veterinary support to herding programs

• Training in wildlife crime scene awareness

These projects currently include collaborations with CLAWS, KRC and Cheetah Conservation Botswana. Projects are supported through traditional fundraising and donor involvement, with opportunities for Adopt-a-Program participation.

Vulture Poisoning and Rehabilitation Project

The increasing intentional and secondary poisoning of vultures threatens all vulture species in Southern Africa. WildAssist Africa™ assists Raptors Botswana and other NGOs/Foundations working in vulture conservation by:

• Providing veterinary and logistical support for recovery, treatment, and release of affected vultures

• Integrating vulture poisoning issues into wildlife crime scene awareness training

This work is supported through fundraising and donor contributions.

Snare Removal and Snare Week Campaigns

The cruel impact of snares on wildlife and biodiversity is a growing concern. WildAssist Africa™ supports efforts to remove snares and treat injured wildlife by:

•  Assisting in removing snares from animals as reported

•  Participating in two to three snare week campaigns annually in collaboration with other NGOs, local landowners, or concession holders

•  Providing veterinary expertise and drugs for snare removal and treatment of injuries

Support for these efforts comes through fundraising, donor support, and donations for veterinary drugs and supplies. There are also opportunities for hands-on involvement through our Adopt-a-Program initiative.