SCF implements this unique project in partnership with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) through funding generously provided to SCF by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi (UAE).

Desert wildlife in peril

The large bird and mammal fauna of the Sahara is one of the most threatened yet poorly known on earth. Drought, desertification, habitat loss and over-hunting have reduced many species to the verge of extinction, with animals like the addax, dama gazelle, North African ostrich and Saharan cheetah having disappeared from over 95% of their former ranges. The current status of many other species is either unknown or seriously out of date.

Lack of up-to-date information and data is limiting the ability of Saharan nations and their partners to conserve desert fauna, access international support for conservation, prioritize action, deploy available resources, and ensure sustainable use. And although conservation efforts are underway in many Saharan countries, the scale is currently insufficient to guarantee success in the recovery of endangered species or to ensure that others will not become extinct in the wild. Significant, long-term action is required to conserve key areas of suitable habitat and remaining wild populations. Captive-breeding and reintroduction is also needed to reinforce populations in decline and to put back lost species to suitable areas under strict management.

Sound science driving conservation action

The long term goal of the Pan Sahara Wildlife Survey (PSWS) is to improve the conservation status and chances of survival of Saharan wildlife, notably species whose survival is currently threatened. To achieve this it is necessary to obtain up-to-date information on the distribution and current conservation status of key species and their habitats. And while data and research on wildlife has high intrinsic value, the survey work carried out by SCF and its partners aims primarily at the identification of tangible conservation action and outcomes and it is expected that conservation projects based on the data collected and priorities identified will rapidly follow the survey work, i.e. the proposal is based very much on a research–action concept.

Survey work is being carried out in high priority sites identified in partnership with the local wildlife authorities to ensure congruence with local planning and priorities. This will ensure priority sites get attention, with the chance of follow up conservation action taking place high. Surveys will focus on key species of international conservation concern (antelopes, gazelles, bustards, carnivores, etc.) and their habitats. These data will provide the first ever consolidated, global overview of Saharan biodiversity and will be instrumental in:

• providing up-to-date information and data on wildlife numbers, distribution, threats and conservation status;
• identifying and prioritizing conservation “hot spots” for urgent action, including the establishment of protected areas and species recovery and reintroduction programmes;
• establishing a scientific basis for decision-making on consumptive and non-consumptive uses of wildlife (hunting, tourism, etc.).

Adding value to local and international conservation goals

Of further benefit, the survey will also add value to national and international initiatives to conserve biodiversity and habitats, provide data for climate change scenarios, support the implementation of international conventions and action plans (CBD, CCD, CMS, CITES, Climate Change), provide a framework for training for local conservation agencies and their staff, and support international efforts to list and raise support for the conservation of endangered species (IUCN Red Data List, Global Mammal Assessment).

Initial survey and feasibility work carried out has identified a number of priority sites in Senegal, Algeria, Tunisia, Chad and Niger. So far, surveys have taken place in the Termit (Niger), with a special focus on the critically endangered addax antelope, and in the Gadabeji Faunal Reserve (Niger), with a view to assessing wildlife and habitat status. The reserve has been targeted for a much-needed scimitar-horned oryx reintroduction programme and SCF’S PSWS survey work will help significantly in its planning and implementation.

SCF’s PSWS Technical Reports can be downloaded from the SCF Resources pages by clicking here.