Capacity building

The Trust firmly believes that the way forward for conservation on a national scale is to have competent, salaried local capacity able to deal with a broad range of wildlife situations.

Once AWARE is receiving a steady income, a budget will be set aside for veterinary and support staff salaries. These personnel will be trained in all aspects of wildlife veterinary medicine through on the job training and continuing education courses.

In the meantime, money will be used for the volunteer veterinarians working with AWARE to attend courses to further their knowledge and expertise.

Latest updates

AWARE vets learn ropes on rhino operations

In 2008 AWARE vets Keith and Lisa benefited from a capacity building exercise by accompanying Dr Chris Foggin of the Wildlife Veterinary Unit on several rhino ops. These involve darting rhino from a helicopter to dehorn them, or to implant them with a horn transmitter so that their location can be consistently monitored. The vets also escorted 3 white rhino in crates from one National Park to another considered to be a safer place for them. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of everyone involved in rhino conservation, rhino poaching has escalated with an estimated 2 rhino being lost every week. We can only pray that the political situation is resolved and that the culprits are brought to book before rhino become a thing of the past in Zimbabwe. CCWA contributed towards the vets’ accommodation for these ops.