African Wildlife & Environment Issue 83

F W F N EW ESSLSEAT TLE RA D4 E(R2S0H2 I3P)

University of Mpumalanga Receives Support for Freshwater Eel Research

The FWF is supporting the protection of threatened freshwater and marine environments and their important fishes by providing a Ford Ranger Double Cab 4x4 to the Rivers of Life Programme (RLP) at the University of Mpumalanga (UMP). This vehicle will be used for one of the programme’s new projects that focuses on the ecology of western Indian Ocean Anguillid freshwater eels and their contribution to sustainable fisheries and livelihoods along the east coast of Africa. “Southern Africa’s freshwater eels are remarkable migrating fish species, swimming more than 10 000km from the Indian Ocean into our east-flowing rivers,” says Professor Gordon O’Brien, director of the RLP. “While we boast the greatest diversity of freshwater eels globally, all our eels are threatened by habitat loss due to barrier formation, pollution, alien species and over-exploitation.” Preliminary data indicates that as much as 60% of freshwater eel habitat has been removed in southern Africa, and as much as 40% across the whole African east coast distribution area. “We still have viable populations that can support a recovery plan, and we have an opportunity to contribute to the sustainable, formal use, conservation and management of these eels in the region, but we need action,” O’Brien says. This is a collaborative research project supported by the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association, involving scientists from South Africa, Mozambique and Kenya to conserve the region’s most valuable and threatened eels.

O’Brien says “This valued support from the FWF will enable our teams to reach remote areas”. With a capable 4x4 vehicle that we can rely on from FWF, it allows us to leverage additional funding to benefit the project as a whole.” For more information on the RLP visit: https://riversoflife.co.za/

Prof Gordon O'Brien with Westvaal Numbi Ford Dealer Trevor Chibaya

10 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 83 (2023)