How to hand high-tech tools to community conservationists

September 21, 2025

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Communities around Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park are set to benefit from a new conservation project that puts environmental DNA technology directly in their hands. The initiative will train residents in advanced wildlife and habitat monitoring, in a move to strengthen community-driven conservation and biodiversity science.

  • The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and the TUI Care Foundation have launched the two-year programme that will benefit communities and university students in one of Africa’s most celebrated conservation landscapes. 

  • Over one hundred community members will be trained and equipped to monitor wildlife and habitats using eDNA sampling and satellite tools to capture vital data on species and ecosystem health. Their findings will feed into a cloud-based platform designed to provide real-time insights for conservation managers.

  • Our take: This programme opens powerful opportunities for communities in Africa…Read more (2 min)

Once again Kenya leads Africa’s conservation job market this month. The country has the bulk of new opportunities across global and regional organisations in restoration, regenerative agriculture, carbon finance to policy, research and programme management. This reinforces its position as a prominent conservation hub in Africa.

  • Southern Africa comes next with unique tech and field opportunities. The roles include GIS mapping and reptile conservation among other internship opportunities. Blending senior and junior roles open doors for both students and specialists.

  • Conservation jobs across Africa are leaning towards climate finance and community resilience. There’s a mix of research and field roles, with more internships and global groups expanding local programs and projects.

  • Find the full list here…Read more (2 min)

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has launched the first global Centre for Species Survival focused on corals. The hub is co-led by Kenyan scientist David Obura from the Coastal Oceans Research and Development in the Indian Ocean East Africa and is set to strengthen efforts to protect reefs vital to African economies.

  • Coral reefs across the Western Indian Ocean support fisheries and coastal protection for millions in Africa. The new hub will assess extinction risks and set conservation priorities to guide restoration in the region.

  • The hub follows the launch of Africa’s first Assisted Recovery of Corals (ARC) Facility in May on Praslin Island in the Seychelles that is using macro-fragmentation and controlled sexual reproduction to regenerate corals threatened by climate change.

  • Our take: While Africa has strong scientific leadership in the new global hub,a regional centre could give its reefs faster access to tailored science and funding…Read more (2 min)

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Kenya and Tanzania have renewed their commitment to fully implement the 2015 Memorandum of Understanding aimed at protecting and conserving the Mara River Basin.

Events

🗓️ Participate in the Wildlife Ranger Challenge across Africa (September 22) 

🗓️ Follow the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi (October 9)

🗓️ Attend the 6th World Congress on Agroforestry in Rwanda (October 20)

Various 

🌳 Helicopter spots endangered species in first-of-its-kind sighting in SA

🌳 East Africa unites to protect endangered grey crowned cranes

🌳 First active hooded vulture nest confirmed in South Africa

Seen on LinkedIn 

Nick Bubb, the Chief Executive Officer at Tusk, says, “Africa’s role in marine conservation has been overlooked. But this is changing, and the continent’s nations and communities are not only protecting 48,000 kilometres of coastline but also contributing fresh leadership and innovation to global ocean governance.”_________________