Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF) seeks to improve anti-poaching operations and leverage the use of adaptive technologies to further habitat and wildlife protection in the Bili-Mbomu forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Bili Uele Protected Area Complex, where the Bili Mbomu forest is found, is home to the largest population of eastern chimpanzees in Africa as well as other unique megafauna, including one of the few populations of forest elephants on the continent.
This project focuses on organizing rangers to develop a Wildlife Crime Investigation Unit and a Quick Reaction Force, and employing the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology to enable reconnaissance, surveillance, and rapid response to threats.
Together, these efforts support AWF’s theory of change which emphasizes the importance of ongoing conservation, evidence-based conservation management, spatial predictions of the distribution of wildlife and threats, and building the capacity of park rangers in order to protect wildlife and its critical habitat.
LDF funding will support AWF’s work to continue to improve the operational and logistical capacity to strengthen surveillance of chimpanzees and other large mammals, illegal activities and threats using UAV technology and use of spatial modeling.