Panthera Zambia

Wild Cat Species

— Lion

— Leopard

— Cheetah

— African Wildcat

— Serval

— Caracal

Priority Landscapes

— Greater Kafue Ecosystem

— Sioma Ngwezi National Park 

Our primary “catscape” in Zambia forms part of Panthera's “supersite” spanning across the massive 520,000 km2 Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA). Here, our activities and interventions are strategically integrated to amplify conservation outcomes across protected area boundaries and regional and country borders. Within Zambia, Panthera project sites are focused in the Greater Kafue Ecosystem (GKE), which is comprised of Kafue National Park and surrounding Game Management Areas, the Kwando Wildlife Dispersal Area (which includes Sioma Ngwezi National Park in the southwestern corner of Zambia) and extends onwards to the Luengue-Luiana Intensive Protection Zone in Luengue-Luiana National Park in the southeast of Angola. All of Panthera’s programs in Zambia are in support of and in strong partnership with the Statutory Authority Department of National Parks and Wildlife Zambia (DNPW) and respective communities. 
 
Our work focuses on protecting source populations, minimizing mortalities at the human-wildlife interface and restoring and protecting connectivity between wild cat populations. We currently support 17 anti-poaching teams, two dedicated lion monitoring and protected teams and one leopard monitoring team across Kafue National Park and surrounding Game Management Areas. These teams operate within four intensive protection zones and from four dedicated anti-poaching protection and support bases. We use SMART and Earth Ranger technology for adaptive management and conducting wildlife monitoring across the whole system to ensure our adaptive management activities are impactful and evidence-based. Our “Halo Approach” delivers focal protection for key individuals and groups to boost survival and recruitment during times of challenge. This includes two lion monitoring and protection teams.
 
Integrating with our Intensive Protection Zone and Halo Approach, Panthera’s Counter Wildlife Crime Program in Zambia provides technical expertise and mentoring related to site security, countering wildlife trafficking, crime analytics and demand reduction to proactively protect wild cats. Key activities include:

  • Training and mentoring patrol teams;
  • Analysis of wildlife crime data to strengthen and guide collaborative wildlife protection efforts;
  • Strengthening legal support to improve conviction rates in partnership with the Wildlife Crime Prevention;
  • Program and adoption of a problem-oriented approach to wildlife protection (POWP); and
  • In partnership with the Barotese Royal Establishment, our Saving Spots program reduces demand for leopard skins by providing authentic faux fur options for ceremonial events.

Hand in hand with supporting law enforcement activities, we are working to cement protection for wild cats outside protected areas and foster connectivity between wildlife populations by facilitating human-wildlife coexistence in connectivity pathways between the Greater Kafue Ecosystem and onwards to the rest of KAZA. Across these areas, we partner with DNPW and communities to strengthen and diversify livelihoods, reduce human-wildlife conflict, unlock the value of living wildlife through wildlife credits and build a strong sustainable wildlife economy. Central to our activities is establishing community-led governance models and human-wildlife coexistence from the Greater Kafue Ecosystem across Sioma National Park and KAZA and supporting a team of community conservation officers. All efforts are strengthened by environmental education and underpinned by focal monitoring and protection of wild cats for and by communities.

Partners

  • Wildlife Crime Prevention
  • Department of National Parks and Wildlife
  • The Barotse Royal Establishment

Contact

Panthera Zambia
Hook Bridge Camp
Mumbwa Game Management Area
Eastern Entrance to Kafue National Park 
Central Province
Zambia

Dr. Jake Overton
joverton@panthera.org
 

Panthera Zambia Blogs

Cheetah family
©GILMOUR DICKSON/KAINGU SAFARIS
Brotherly Love: Three Cheetah Brothers Poised to Form Strong Coalition
Lion cubs
©CHARLOTTE SEARLE/WILDCRU
Panthera Team Helps Save Tiny Lion Cubs
Cheetah
©ABBY HARDING
Kafue National Park: A Cheetah Kingdom

Staff

Dr. Jake Overton

Panthera Zambia Director and Greater Kafue Ecosystem Program Manager

Xia Stevens

SMART Program Manager – Southern Africa

Evans Nsende

Southern Greater Kafue Ecosystem Program Manager

Maswabi Lishandu

Saving Spots Community Engagement Officer

Steven Kope

Community Engagement Officer

Chitalu Shikaputo

Greater Kafue Ecosystem Conservation Analyst

Chilufya Chikwekwe

Staff Accountant

Victor Siingwa

Large Carnivore Monitoring Project Coordinator

Steven Charli

KLAWS Cook 1

Stephen Ngoma

Lion Monitoring Team South Coordinator

Sepeti Bupe

Program and Patrol Coordinator - Mulobezi

Samuel Malaisho

Groundsperson, Panthera Hookbridge Camp

Roy Chafwakale

Counter Wildlife Crime Law Enforcement Advisor

Particia Kayula

Lion Monitoring Team North Coordinator

Nchimunya Simamba

Procurement and Supplies Officer - Dundumwezi

Brian Mubalu Linyando

Inyasemu Community Conservation Officer

Buyoya Mushabati

Inyasemu Community Conservation Officer

Carol Moomba

Procurement and Supplies Officer – Mulobezi

Chitalu Shikaputo

Counter Wildlife Crime Data Analyst

Choolwe Mulenga

Panthera-LRF SMART Coordinator

Christopher Muduwa

Field Technician-Tracker

Elvis Mainza Chimbizu

Inyasemu Community Conservation Officer

Eugen Simata

Inyasemu Community Officer

Isaac Susi

KLAWS Program Manager, Operations North

Joseph Siazilo

Inyasemu Community Conservation Officer

Jostrine Mweetwa

KLAWS Deployment Base Groundsman and General Hand

Kasonde Mulenga

KLAWS Program Manager, Operations South

Kasonde Stephen Mumbi

Leopard Monitoring Intern

Kaumba Muluchi

KLAWS Main Chef

Kims Kakumbi

KLAWS Cook 2

Lontia Masinja

KLAWS Procurement Officer

Lucky Mulenga

SMART Coordinator Kafue National Park

Matthew Phiri

EarthRanger Coordinator-KLAWS

Debbie Gould

Program Support-Zambia

Blessing Samalesu

Panthera SMART Coordinator - Southern Kafue

Clement Chiimbwe

Program and Patrol coordinator - Dundumwezi

Morris Kameya

Grounds person Panthera Hookbridge Camp

Mutukwa Susiku

Intern for Southern Kafue