On a warm day in January, I visited the Maa Trust in Kenya. Under a small tree, five women patiently threaded glass beads onto long pieces of string. “Women would see tourists drive around but they had no access to them,” says Dr. Crystal Mogensen, CEO of the Maa Trust, a nonprofit that works towards conservation through sustainable community development. But in recent years, the beadwork, which is sold to tourists, and other initiatives has generated money for the trust's 34 employees and their families. Without the tourists—who travel to Kenya to see animals like lion and cheetah—there would be no work for these women and little development in their communities. “We’re here because of the wildlife,” says Mogensen.
But now, with the coronavirus pandemic threatening the 194.2 billion tourism industry across Africa, that safari ecosystem locals and animals alike rely on is on shaky ground. While some parks are still open, most plan to reopen no earlier than late May or June—maybe as late in the year as October. The industry is already intricate and delicate, with private partners often leasing land from local landowners in exchange for tourism use and conservation efforts. For example, within Kenya’s 15 Mara conservancies, spread over 347,000 acres and where Maa is based, more than 15,000 landowners earn up to $7.5 million annually and 2,000 locals are employed across 47 camps. Those profits are often then funneled back into the communities and into conserving the wildlife, protecting the animals from poachers, illness, and more. But as would-be travelers stay home, the animals and the communities that live around them are at risk.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is putting conservation under enormous pressure,” says Luke Bailes, founder and executive chairman of Singita, a collection of luxury reserves and lodges. “Africa’s wildlife is gravely at risk if ecotourism stops funding conservation work. If tourism collapses, the ripple effect could threaten to wipe out decades of proactive conservation work on the continent.” Without safari vehicles crossing the parks and planes in the sky, there are fewer eyes on the ground, allowing poachers more freedom to move around. Botswana has already experienced an increase in rhino poaching in the past month, according to Map Ives, director of Rhino Conservation Botswana.
In a place like Rwanda, keeping tight borders is actually a matter of keeping its animal population safe from disease. “The gorillas share 97 percent of the same DNA as us and have a high risk of contracting COVID-19, so it’s a disease issue too,” says Praveen Moman, founder of Volcanoes Safaris, who adds that the parks closed at the end of March.
Worse still, the drop in tourism stands to destroy the livelihood of thousands of people. “In communities, there’s a huge impact—not only for people working in the camps and hotels but also those who have curio shops within or outside the parks,” says Hamza Raza, northern head guide at Asilia Africa. “Now there is no business for them,” he says.
“In most wildlife areas of Africa, tourism is the only employer, the only opportunity for skills development and social uplifting (especially for women), the only source of funds for park management, and often the only eyes and ears on the ground preventing bushmeat hunting and poaching,” says Dr. Jennifer Lalley, conservation director and co-founder of Natural Selection, a collection of owner-operated safari lodges. “Remove tourism, and I shudder to think of the habitat destruction and decimation of wildlife populations that would ensue alongside extreme poverty. It’s the very reason we got into this game.” Natural Selections lodges in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa have all been shuttered until it’s safe for people to visit again.
Conservation has never been a short term project but for these safari companies—whose goal is to ensure that wildlife flourishes for generations and locals experience the tourism benefits for years to come—short term strategies and immediate funding are more urgent than ever. While we cannot currently aid these programs through travel, there are ways to ensure the wildlife and all its custodians will be around when we get to the other side. See ways to donate, support, and help fund initiatives, below.
Community aid, education, and training support
Travelers can help fund a number of Volcanoes Safaris' community initiatives, including purchasing water tanks, and paying for school lunches and seedlings for village cultivation. Natural Selection also launched a COVID-19 Village Support program which transports food to people in remote villages ($75 feeds a family for a whole month).
Education is as important as ever and brands have programs like Asilia Africa’s scholarship in hospitality program and Singita’s student sponsorship at the Singita School of Cooking. For small business initiatives (usually supported through tourism), andBeyond’s Africa Foundation has a program for small business development and training. The Maa Trust, which works with Masai communities namely in beadwork, has a program to support beadworkers and communities ($200 covers the monthly salary of an assistant beadworker).
Wildlife conservation and anti-poaching efforts
Rhino Conservation Botswana has an easy site, where you can dedicate donations to friends or family members. Brands like Singita and Royal Portfolio have 'wish lists’ where people can support counter-poaching units by donating in support of tracker dogs, which are crucial in sniffing out rhino horn as well as pursuing intruders. Bumi Hills Safari Lodge in Zimbabwe has a fund that supports rangers on the front line with medical aid, transport, and more. Wilderness Safaris also has a fund where guests can choose to donate to conservation or communities, as does Elewana Collection.
For ongoing conservation projects, Ol Pejeta Conservancy offers the adoption of Baraka (an old black rhino), a northern white rhino (of which there are two left in the world), or a chimpanzee. Even if you have a small amount to offer, the Mara Elephant Project, a brilliant elephant protection organization, and the Rhino Conservation Project, are accepting all donations above $25. A hot meal for a ranger goes a very long way right now.
Other support
Angama Mara in Kenya is calling all photographers to enter The Great Masai Mara Photographer of the Year competition, where any traveler who has been to the Mara in the past 12 months can enter photographs to win a five-night safari for later and a cash prize. The $20 entry fee goes directly toward their foundation. Safari outfitter ROAR Africa is asking people to download and share a video about the illegal wildlife trade with the hashtag #TimeToRoar on social media to win a four-night safari at any Great Plains property.
We're reporting on how COVID-19 impacts travel on a daily basis. Find all of our coronavirus coverage and travel resources here.
