African Wildlife & Environment Issue 84 2023

FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

We quickly run through the conservancy statistics: It employs 23 staff and has a management committee of 15 men and women. The names of all previous conservancy leaders are recorded on a wooden board at the gate of the yard. The conservancy is the area’s biggest employer and it is investing most of its income in its conservation work – employing staff to monitor wildlife and do anti-poaching work, as well as human wildlife conflict mitigation and conservation extension among members. The young chairman, Mutahane Saddy, lists the roles of the staff; bookkeeper, manager, secretary, extension officer, field officer, two senior rangers, twelve junior rangers, two security officers, a cleaner and a driver. Income in 2023 will be slightly less than in 2022 because this year’s hunting quota is a bit smaller than last year’s, he says. Each year’s quota

is based on an annual game count coordinated by the Ministry of Forestry, Environment and Tourism (MFET). I ask how this income is helping the residents of Sobbe, and what would happen to conservation and the community if this income should stop. “Without this income we would have no office and no jobs for conservancy staff,” says the chairman.There would be no meat distribution from the hunting.The welfare of our people would suffer. Our conservation work would stop and poaching, as well as human wildlife conflict, would rise,” adds Bornbright. Everyone agrees that the wildlife corridor that Sobbe fights to keep open against neighbouring opposition is their biggest challenge. “Others in this area, not from our conservancy,” Bornbright names a certain induna (headman), “want to use our corridor for farming.

38 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 84 (2023)