Conservation Leadership

Helping current and aspiring conservationists acquire the skills, training, education and employment to reach their potential is a core aspect of our work, and Conservation Leadership is intertwined with all aspects of our organizational pillars.

Empowering Conservation Leaders.

Opportunities for building technical and leadership skills in field-based conservation are rare due to the scarcity of projects that both conduct such work and that are able to offer leadership training opportunities as part of their organizational objectives.

Additionally, the sustainability of research and conservation efforts suffers when local communities are not effectively involved. At ZCP, we address these challenges through a comprehensive multi-level approach, which includes training, education, sponsorship, and employment of young Zambian wildlife professionals from secondary school to international graduate programs. This ensures that Zambia’s most talented individuals have the chance to contribute to wildlife conservation both now and in the future.

Currently, we operate the country’s largest and most comprehensive capacity-building program for field-based conservation, supporting educational and training initiatives from primary school to PhD level.

2024 Highlights

Trainees in the Women in Wildlife
Conservation Training Programme

Trainees in the Wildlife Vet Training
Programme

University and graduate students
supported for degrees

Our Programmes

Women in Wildlife Conservation Training Programme

While often under-represented in field-based conservation work, women represent the majority of ZCP’s senior team members. In concert with our long-term projects, in 2024 we continued to expand opportunities for aspiring female conservationists through our Women in Wildlife Conservation Training Programme (WIWC), pairing 13 trainees with experienced female mentors from ZCP senior management to provide one-on-one training in all aspects of field-based conservation. The program empowers women, fosters skill development, and inspires future conservation leaders.

Conservation Biologist Training Programme

While students interested in pursuing
careers in conservation can increasingly
pursue relevant degrees in Zambia and
beyond, complementing academic
training with the myriad practical skills
and experience needed for field-based
conservation work is really difficult, as opportunities are few and far between. Our programme bridges this gap by providing trainees with practical field techniques such as radio telemetry, camera trapping and surveys, to 4x4 driving, service and repair, community outreach and human wildlife conflict mitigation. We attached 17 trainees across 4 projects to this programme in 2024.

Wildlife Vet Training Programme

Wildlife conservation work is often a desired field for Vet School graduates in Zambia; however, opportunities for gaining practical field experience and employment in this field are few, given the small number of field-based projects able to provide this. In 2024, we supported 3 trainees across three projects, offering hands-on experience in wildlife immobilisation, ecology, and disease mitigation. With mentorship from experienced vets, two new vets were integrated into the team, leading darting operations for de-snaring and collaring. The programme continues to provide essential field experience for aspiring wildlife vets in Zambia.

Professional Development Training Programme

The intensity of work in the dry season typically necessitates a focus on programmatic initiatives, but with the onset of the rains work shifts more toward additional training and development of broader topics and skillsets. In 2024, ZCP's Professional Development Training Programme (PDT) delivered sessions covering diverse conservation topics, wellness, leadership, time management, and more, expanding on a growing library of previous sessions.

Integrated Field
Conservation Course

With continuing support from the Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN) we held a second year of the Integrated Field Conservation Course (IFCC) in 2023, aimed at increasing conservation participation of Zambian university graduates from urban areas. ZCP’s Luangwa Project Assistant Manager and WIWC mentor, Bridget Mayani Nkhoma, along with Luangwa Field Team Coordinator Felidah Mwale oversaw the programme, exposing trainees to the full range of topics, challenges, and skills involved in field-based conservation careers.

Aspiring Conservation Leaders’ Programme

We continued to support our partner Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust’s Aspiring Conservation Leaders’ Programme in 2023, hosting 8 young
conservationists and training them in various aspects of field work and activities.

Training & Collaboration with Partner Orgs and Agencies Across Africa

As part of our Conservation Leadership Strategic Plan, ZCP enhances impact by leveraging long-term projects to foster collaborative training and partnerships across Africa. In 2023, we hosted teams from Angola, Kenya, and Tanzania for training and knowledge exchange. Key collaborations included supporting the Africa Rangewide Cheetah Conservation Initiative, hosting a four-person team for wild dog work from Tanzania, and providing training to Kenyan partners from Tsavo Trust on wild dog and lion research.

Advanced Education and Training

Advanced education and training opportunities are very important for the career development of many conservation leaders. Together with the support of our donor partners we continued to help provide opportunities for advanced education and training in conservation. These opportunities were provided for ZCP and DNPW team members as well as partner organizations and graduates of our various training programmes. In 2023 we supported six Zambian graduate students and eight Zambian undergraduate students at eleven different national and international institutions.

Wild Dog Conservation
Training Programme

Given their ecology and behavior, wild
dogs are one of the species that perhaps
requires some of the most specialized
skillset in order to effectively study and
conserve. Luangwa Project Assistant Manager Bridget Mayani Nkhoma initiated a programme designed to train wild dog conservation biologists; similar to our other leadership programmes but with a special focus on this species, and an overall objective to train 6 aspiring
Zambian graduates.

Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) Training

With some of the continent’s longest running projects and an ever-increasing
amount of integrated and data-rich
initiatives, ZCP made the switch to digital
data collection in 2023. Under the guidance of ZCP's Data Manager Elke van Gils, we conducted extensive training across all sites and began the transition to SMART for all studies and initiatives. This will enable much more rapid conversion of information into databases for analyses and reporting, and subsequently a more efficient response and impact.

Students in the spotlight 2023

Meet the future leaders of conservation! Below are the bios of the talented students in our leadership training programs, showcasing their passion and dedication to preserving wildlife.

WIWC Graduate, Undergraduate in Conservation

Nomsa Kamanga

Catawba College, United States

Nomsa completed her first year pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environment and Sustainability with a concentration in Community-based Natural Resource Management with a Minor in Geographic Information Systems.

“In 2023 I was fortunate to be one of the five students selected to present a project at the
International Congress for Conservation Biology in Rwanda. We presented a project on the effect of using Lion lights to help in the mitigation of Human Wildlife Conflict. Our case study was Kenya (Maasai Mara) where this initiative was developed. I met a lot of people! Big names in the Conservation industry who have done amazing work! I had a lot of moments of pride because every time I mentioned ZCP, someone knew Matt Becker or Thandiwe Mweetwa. Being present in that moment was heartwarming and made me realize how much work is being done through ZCP and I am glad that I am a part of it!”

WIWC graduate, ZCP Field Ecologist

Marget Mwale

Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management, Copperbelt University, Zambia

“This year, I am particularly enjoying Wildlife
Management and Conservation courses because it perfectly fits my academic interests and career goals and has further enriched my ability to thrive. I have also been involved in a number of extracurricular activities. For the 2023 academic year, I served the Copperbelt University Natural Resource and Environmental Society (CUNRES) as an Executive Committee Member and was given a certificate for
my participation. In addition, I went around to
secondary schools teaching pupils about wildlife, climate change, and the importance
of planting trees. All of this has enhanced my learning outside of the classroom and given me
invaluable practical experience.”

DNPW Regional Ranger

Armstrong Chinga

Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife Conservation and Natural Resource Management, LIUTEBM, Zambia

Armstrong Chinga is a Regional Ranger
with Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW). In 2023, Armstrong was supported by ZCP to obtain his bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Conservation and Natural Resource Management at Livingstone
International Environmental and Business Management (LIUTEBM) University in Lusaka, Zambia. Prior to moving up the ranks in DNPW,
Armstrong was a core member of the ZCP
Liuwa Project for many years, working as
a DNPW-AP Research Scout.

“As an upcoming leader in conservation, it
is imperative to never stop studying because in these uniquely challenging times, the demand for effective leadership in my organizations (African Parks Liuwa and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife – DNPW) and the society at large, has never been greater. We face problems that are complex and interconnected. Problems that can only be solved by leaders who see the bigger picture and adapt to an ever-changing context. My aim is to sharpen my skills and gain more knowledge on how best to protect, rehabilitate, maintain, restore, understanding the climate change and its complexity, enhance our natural resources and ecological processes.”

Wildlife Vet

Dr Kambwiri Banda

Science in Wildlife Biology, Montana State University, USA

Dr. Kambwiri Banda successfully defended his thesis for his Master’s of Science research at Montana State University’s Department of Ecology. Dr. Banda worked with his advisor, ZCP’s Dr. Scott Creel, to evaluate the effects of de-snaring on the demography and population dynamics of African lions. A long-standing team member of our ZCP-DNPW Kafue Project, Dr. Banda joined in 2014 under the mentorship of the late Dr. Wigganson Matandiko (also an MSU graduate) and played a key role as a Vet/Ecologist for the Project before beginning his graduate research in 2021.

DNPW Wildlife Police Officer

Lackson Mbewe

Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife Conservation and
Natural Resource Management, LIUTEBM, Zambia

Lackson Mbewe is a Wildlife Police Officer with Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW). He is being supported by ZCP for a bachelor’s degree in wildlife Conservation and Natural Resource Management at Livingstone International Environmental and Business Management (LIUTEBM) University in
Lusaka, Zambia.

“The final year of study was really challenging
since the modules were quite difficult, but through hard work and good time management in terms of studying I managed to pass all the classes I sat for. I was really focused and determined to have good results. I had limited time to study related to my working hours since I am also playing a very important role at my workplace. I achieved my educational goals with a set timetable that guided me throughout my studies.”

ZCP CBTP graduate & ZCP Field Team Leader

Dean Banda

Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management, Copperbelt University, Zambia

“I want to make a bigger difference in conservation; I want to improve the protection of Zambia’s wildlife through empowering young Zambians and teach them about the importance of protecting nature. To do this I am learning more about ecology, biology
and wildlife at Copperbelt University (CBU), studying wildlife management. Once I have completed my degree, I think I will be ready for new challenges, opportunities, and responsibilities within ZCP, so that I can play
a bigger role within ZCP.”

CBTP graduate & ZCP Field Team Leader

Kings Chimungu

Bachelor’s of Science in Natural Resource Management, Copperbelt University, Zambia

A ZCP-Chipembele Conservation Club Graduate, Kings Chimungu began his career with ZCP in 2016 as a Conservation Biologist Trainee, being mentored as a Wildlife Vet
Trainee. He is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management at
Copperbelt University.

“As a researcher I have been doing field work and I love it. I have built leadership skills in Zambian conservation, and I want to gain
more knowledge and learn how I can make a difference in conservation in the future.”