As an unforgettable year draws to a close, African People & Wildlife is proud to share some of our key highlights from 2021. These conservation wins represent the collective impact of our team, supporters, partners, colleagues in conservation, and fellow community members. Together, we are creating a brighter and more resilient future for Africa’s people, wildlife, and the wildlands they call home.
The Source of Life
Angola's Okavango River Basin is one of Africa’s richest places for biodiversity. In 2021, APW joined the Okavango Wilderness Project as an invited partner in collaboration with the National Geographic Society and the Wild Bird Trust. Read more
Letting Lions Live
The beautiful cub we call Ndito relaxes near Noloholo. Ndito and her pride continue to thrive on communal lands thanks to the dedication of our partner communities and team. This year, APW Warriors for Wildlife responded to 222 human-wildlife conflict events, protected prides, and saved six lions from direct retaliation.
Women Rise Up
Paulina Mokoyo, a member of the Women's Beekeeping Initiative, displays a jar of Mama Asali wildlife-friendly honey. APW launched the African Women in Conservation Initiative this year to break down barriers that hold women and girls back from conservation opportunities. Learn more
Seeing Spots
Our motion-triggered cameras captured several cheetahs this year along with more leopards than ever before in our history. The presence of these mighty big cats is an important indicator of a healthy ecosystem.
A Triple Win
A Living Wall in the Maasai Steppe landscape secures livestock and livelihoods, protects big cats, and helps to preserve wildlands. This year, our team installed 161 new Living Walls in partnership with communities, bringing our total to 1,538 Living Walls across northern Tanzania.
Data for All
Local leaders use technology tools to measure and record grass height, allowing their community to access, visualize, and analyze the data in real time. This year, APW began piloting a data hub – a cutting-edge application that makes critical conservation information accessible at the district level.
Majestic Presence
An elephant grazes at sunset near the Noloholo Environmental Center. We continued to observe large herds in the area this year, including increased close-up sightings as the family groups felt more secure in our protection.
Plugging into the Future
Wildlife club members learn how to use GIS mapping technology and create their own citizen science projects. More than 2,300 students actively take part in our wildlife clubs, and our environmental education programs reach over 15,500 rural youth.
The Web of Life
Our work benefits numerous animals in the biodiverse Tarangire ecosystem, including the Maasai giraffe. We identified 40 unique species on camera trap in 2021, while community game scouts observed 25 different species of interest during twice-monthly wildlife counts. See more photos
Keeping Pastures Healthy
Community members identify invasive plants, which can harm the well-being of people, livestock, and wildlife. In 2021, APW provided communities in our Sustainable Rangelands Initiative with small project grants to remove invasive plants from local pastures.
Land for Life
A vast cross-boundary area across northern Tanzania and southern Kenya contains vital corridors for zebras, elephants, lions, and many other wild species. In 2021, APW joined forces with WWF UK to conserve these lands and support Indigenous communities that call them home.
Nature's Protectors
Community game scouts from the Tarangire ecosystem climb a tree while on patrol. This year, APW doubled the size of this dedicated team, including the addition of two women. The scouts formed two competing teams in the Wildlife Ranger Challenge and tied for first place!