Policy Tracker: African countries focus on wildlife conservation

From the newsletter

African governments are accelerating the linking of conservation policies and climate action. The African Rhino Conservation Framework incorporates community rights and ecological sustainability to safeguard rhinos. Meanwhile, the African Penguin Conservation Policy, launched in March 2025, establishes no-fishing zones to protect endangered penguins in South Africa.

• The Scaling-up Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change Resilience policy in Tanzania has allocated $60 million to conserve forests and enhance climate resilience.

• Notably, the African Penguin Conservation Policy is the first in Africa to be established through a court order. On 18 March 2025, South Africa’s High Court ruled in favour of BirdLife South Africa and the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), mandating 10-year no-fishing zones around six critical penguin breeding colonies.

More details

• The African Rhino Conservation Framework (ARCF) offers a structured approach to rhino conservation through six strategic themes: ecological management, safety and security, disruption of organised crime, rhino-horn markets, equity and rights, and value recognition. These themes inform policies and actions designed to protect existing rhino populations, restore habitats, and ensure that conservation efforts yield local economic and social benefits.

• A primary goal of the framework is to expand ecologically significant units for rhinos, thereby ensuring the viability of both black and white rhino populations over the next 20 to 50 years. This process includes translocating rhinos to suitable areas, restoring populations within their historical ranges, and implementing genetic management techniques. The framework also encourages connectivity among fragmented populations through ecological corridors, transfrontier conservation areas, and meta-population management. Furthermore, it supports the advancement of reproductive technologies to address the critical decline of species such as the northern white rhino, which currently has only two surviving females.

• The ARCF places a strong emphasis on anti-poaching efforts and regulating the market for rhino horns. It seeks to enhance law enforcement, improve intelligence-sharing across regions, and adopt technologies such as surveillance and tracking systems to combat illegal wildlife trade. Understanding and influencing rhino-horn markets is another crucial element, ensuring that policy interventions effectively reduce demand. Additionally, the framework highlights the economic and cultural value of rhinos, advocating for conservation policies that align with sustainable development and provide benefits to local communities.

• The Scaling-up Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change Resilience project was launched in Dodoma on 5th February 2025. With a budget of $60 million allocated from 2025 to 2027, the project aims to enhance climate resilience through Nature-based Solutions. It focuses on the regions of Morogoro and Iringa, benefiting over 30,000 people. The project integrates Nature-based Solutions into agriculture and ecosystems, supports the Nationally Determined Contributions and the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative, and promotes gender-responsive approaches and sustainable business models.

• The African Penguin Conservation Policy, which runs for 10 years starting in March 2025, aims to protect the critically endangered species by establishing no-fishing zones around six major breeding colonies in South Africa. The agreement prohibits sardine and anchovy fishing within 12 miles of Robben Island and Bird Island, with additional restricted closures at four other sites, ensuring food security for penguins and supporting population recovery.

Our take

• The African Penguin Conservation Policy, mandated by the court, exemplifies the impact of legal action in conservation efforts.

• For instance, the Kenyan government's creation of marine protected areas (MPAs) around vital ecosystems, such as the Watamu Marine National Park, is a strategic initiative aimed at preserving biodiversity and safeguarding species from human activities, including overfishing and habitat degradation.

• Similarly, the establishment of Chobe National Park in Botswana, protected by stringent conservation laws, has resulted in a remarkable recovery of elephant populations through effective regulation of poaching and management of human-wildlife conflict.