Generating tangible benefits from wildlife is key to conservation, especially when that wildlife can threaten human life.
WildCRU’s Lion Landscapes programme has developed camera trapping initiatives in Tanzania and Kenya, where communities install camera traps and receive points according to the wildlife photographed on their land.
Rarer and more dangerous animals generate higher scores and villages compete to win bonus points. Participants communally decide on the distribution of benefits, which fund community priorities including education, healthcare, veterinary resources and football equipment. In 2023, communities across 21 villages received benefits, improving the lives of over 5,000 rural households.
This programme demonstrates that conservation can be an important route to development, improving outcomes for people and wildlife.