WHAT IS IT FOR?
The Emergency Response Fund is a fund that allows an emergency response to African Wild Dogs and other endangered species (such as vultures and rhino), which have been snared, injured, dispersed, or broken out of a reserve. It allows for the payment of critical veterinary costs, the rapid retrieval of dispersing wild dogs using helicopters and vehicles (to prevent livestock loss and human-wildlife conflict) and the emergency retrieval of individuals in serious danger of being killed.
HOW DOES IT WORK? WHO MANAGES IT?
The Fund is managed through KZN-WAG and the Zululand Vulture Project by Wildlife ACT Fund to allow for simple efficient deployment once decisions are made. The decision makers are made up of the official entities from the respective projects, i.e. Wildlife ACT Fund, Wildlands Conservation Trust, Endangered Wildlife Trust and EKZN Wildlife. The process is meticulously recorded and reported on.
RETURNS EXPECTED
Being able to respond rapidly to injuries, snaring events, and break-outs will directly lead to the saving of multiple animals per year. It will also strengthen the trust between reserves and local communities and improve the tolerance of having predators on reserves. The unnecessary suffering of these endangered species, whether it’s a snared Wild Dog, an orphaned rhino, or poisoned vultures, will be alleviated, as vets and experienced personnel can react immediately. It has been proven to work and taken more than 50 years of experience and research to have reached this point where our endangered species can be given extra support to allow their populations to grow.
BASIC COSTS
- Helicopter Time: R7 700 per hour
- Wildlife Veterinarian Costs: R8 000 per day
- Travel Costs for Vets and Staff: up to R3 000 a day
Target Amount per year = R1 000 000
Minimum amount required per year = R250,000
