CARNIVORES
We protect Africa’s carnivores through science, coexistence, and species recovery
CARNIVORES
WHY CARNIVORES
MATTER
Africa’s carnivores are essential to healthy ecosystems
Carnivores play different but connected roles in keeping ecosystems healthy. Lions regulate prey populations, while Leopards help maintain the natural balance between predators and prey. African Wild Dogs range across vast territories, connecting ecosystems across landscapes. Cheetahs provide an important source of food for scavengers, while Hyaenas recycle nutrients by consuming carrion. Together, these species help maintain healthy, balanced ecosystems.
When carnivores disappear, the effects ripple throughout entire ecosystems. Prey populations can grow unchecked, habitats become degraded, and the ecological processes that support biodiversity, tourism, and local livelihoods begin to break down. Healthy predator populations are one of the clearest signs of healthy, functioning ecosystems.
Because carnivores require extensive habitat, protecting them also conserves countless other species and the landscapes they share. Conserving predators is about protecting entire ecosystems that sustain both wildlife and people.
CARNIVORES
THE CARNIVORES
WE PROTECT
We focus our conservation efforts on Africa’s threatened and iconic carnivores
African Wild Dog
Endangered
A wide-ranging predator that lives and hunts in close-knit packs, requiring connected landscapes to survive and increasingly threatened by habitat fragmentation, snaring, and conflict with people.
Cheetah
Vulnerable
The world’s fastest land animal, now confined to fragmented populations across much of its range due to habitat loss, conflict with people, and declining genetic diversity.
Lion
Vulnerable
Africa’s iconic big cat, facing growing pressure from habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, prey depletion, poisoning, and the illegal trade in wildlife.
Spotted Hyena
Least Concern
An important predator and scavenger that helps maintain healthy
ecosystems by regulating prey populations and recycling nutrients, but increasingly affected by habitat loss and conflict with people across parts of its range.
Brown Hyena
Near Threatened
A uniquely southern African scavenger facing growing pressure from habitat loss, persecution, and accidental snaring, despite the important role it plays in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
Leopard
Vulnerable
A highly adaptable big cat facing growing pressure from habitat loss, declining prey, human-wildlife conflict, and illegal killing and trade.
CARNIVORES
THE THREATS
CARNIVORES FACE
Carnivores face increasing pressure
across Africa, including:
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Expanding agriculture and development reduce the connected landscapes predators need to survive.
Illegal hunting and
wildlife trafficking
Including the trade in lion bones, teeth, claws, and other predator body parts.
Genetic isolation
Small, fragmented populations lose genetic diversity and become increasingly vulnerable to rapid population collapse.
Human-wildlife
conflict
Predators moving into farming areas can cause livestock losses that trigger retaliation, poisoning, and persecution.
Wire snares set for bushmeat
Indiscriminately injure and kill lions, leopards, wild dogs, cheetah, hyenas, and other wildlife.
CARNIVORES
HOW WE PROTECT
CARNIVORES
Monitoring carnivores
We use GPS collars, camera traps, and long-term field monitoring to understand how carnivores move through landscapes, identify important wildlife corridors, guide relocations, and respond to emerging threats. In some areas, real-time tracking also helps communities protect livestock before conflict occurs.
Helping people and predators coexist
Living with predators can be challenging. We work with farming communities to reduce livestock losses through Livestock Guardian Dogs, predator-proof livestock management, and early warning systems linked to GPS-collared animals, helping people and carnivores share the same landscapes.
Tackling wildlife crime
Wire snares, poisoning, and illegal wildlife trade continue to threaten carnivores across Africa. We work with rangers, anti-poaching teams, and communities to remove snares, rescue injured animals, and strengthen law enforcement efforts against wildlife crime.
Recovering carnivore populations
We are recognised leaders in carnivore recovery. Through carefully planned translocations, we strengthen genetic diversity, establish new populations, and return African Wild Dogs and Cheetahs to landscapes where they have disappeared.
Building conservation partnerships
Effective carnivore conservation depends on collaboration. We coordinate the African Wild Dog Advisory Group (WAG) and Cheetah Advisory Group (CAG), bringing together hundreds of conservation specialists to share knowledge, align conservation efforts and strengthen carnivore recovery across Africa.
CARNIVORES
CONSERVATION
SUCCESS
Rebuilding cheetah populations
Cheetahs have disappeared from much of their historical range, leaving many populations isolated and vulnerable to collapse. To address this challenge, we established South Africa’s managed Cheetah metapopulation in 2011, bringing together reserves across the country to manage Cheetahs as a single connected population.
Through carefully planned translocations that mimic natural dispersal, we strengthen genetic diversity, support breeding populations, and return Cheetahs to landscapes where they have disappeared.
40 cheetahs. 70 reserves.
One connected future
Today, South Africa’s managed Cheetah metapopulation spans 70 reserves, covers more than 14,200 km², and supports approximately 540 Cheetahs. Since 2012, we have coordinated more than 700 translocations, helping the population grow by an average of nearly 9% every year. (All figures refer to South Africa.)
The Cheetah Conservation Project has also returned Cheetahs to landscapes including Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve in Malawi, and the Greater Luangwa Ecosystem in Zambia demonstrating, how science, collaboration, and long-term management can help secure the future of one of Africa’s most threatened predators.
CARNIVORES
GET INVOLVED
Every action makes a difference. Whether you choose to donate, partner with us, or follow our work, you’ll be helping secure a future for Africa’s large carnivores and the landscapes they call home.