Every two years, Taronga extends its reach by awarding funding to other organisations and conservation projects around the world. Since launching the Field Conservation Grants in 2008, Taronga has provided funding and staff support to 70 vital programs. Projects that have benefited from a Taronga Field Conservation Grant have helped to regenerate habitats, mitigate human-wildlife conflict, reduce poaching and trafficking and create opportunities for people and wildlife to live side by side.

The African Wildlife Conservation Fund (AWCF) has a mission to maintain healthy and viable populations of African Wild Dogs and other large carnivores in Zimbabwe, as well as the habitats and prey species on which they depend. AWCF has a multi-faceted approach to carnivore conservation, combining research, conservation and education.

With support from Taronga and its 2017-19 Field Grant Program, AWCF has continued its community education on African Wild Dogs and other local species. Excitingly, this work has seen improvements in awareness and knowledge in school children and the wider community. Some of AWCF’s recent achievements include:

• Delivery of conservation awareness lessons at 123 supported rural schools, (minimum four lessons per year) as well as the production of carnivore posters for display within the schools
• Construction of libraries for all 123 schools
• Installation of solar panels at three schools, allowing students to study after hours
• 23 ‘predator scholarship’ students have participated in a five-day field trip – learning bush survival skills, tracking, wildlife monitoring and conservation. Five new scholarship students have also been selected for this program

AWCF has also seen recent success in its care of African Wild Dogs across its study areas (Save Valley Conservancy and Gonarezhou National Park), including the monitoring and safeguarding of over 200 wild dogs, the rescue and veterinary care of two snared animals, and a successful life-saving amputation operation for another. It has also been reported that 12 very pregnant females were spotted and are expecting puppies soon.

Read more about AWCF's work.