5 February 2013: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) are collaborating to train South Sudanese wildlife authorities on all aspects of professional park management. The programme aims to preserve wildlife and support rural livelihoods through three components: improving national park conservation; building government capacity; and sustainably financing conservation efforts.

Hundreds of rangers now patrol and enforce anti-poaching measures in the Southern National Park, a two million hectare area that encompasses four South Sudanese States and was threatened by poachers trading ivory for small arms and hunting for bush meat. According to John Maper, the Southern National Park Warden, the programme, which is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), has facilitated the first coordinated patrols in the park since the war.

The programme is building government capacity by supporting South Sudan’s Wildlife Ministry in planning its conservation efforts. It is training wildlife officials to conduct an aerial survey of ecosystems and species and to collar and track elands, elephants and other large mammals. The programme has also trained 46 rangers, including six women, to manage ranger stations and enforcement patrols, find wildlife populations and map human activity.

WCS and the South Sudan Wildlife Ministry have also raised awareness on how conservation can support livelihoods and promote eco-tourism. Balázs Horváth, UNDP South Sudan Country Director, said the programme aims to involve large numbers of South Sudanese in conservation, which will enable them to “make extra money, build new skills, send their children to school and get proper health care.” [UNDP Story] [WCS South Sudan Website]