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Achievement Report Karongwe July 2017

Written by Kate Arbon, Karongwe Science Officer

Report Title
Litter Picking Fence Patrols

Objective
To assist with reserve management and
security

Report
Part of our regular schedule at the
Karongwe base is to carry out practical
reserve work sessions to assist
management with maintenance and long-
term improvement projects.

Throughout the past two months we have The haul from the first litter picking session
dedicated several of our reserve work
sessions to fence patrols, with staff and volunteers walking the border fences end-to-end. The purpose of this
was primarily to collect litter from the roads, which border Karongwe and which might otherwise have blown
through the fences and into the reserve, where it causes unsightly mess and can endanger wildlife.

The other reason for walking the fence lines is aiding with security, by enabling us to survey the fences and
ensure they are in good condition. Any gaps, broken wires, or holes dug underneath by small game could lead
to animals escaping, potentially endangering local people or themselves. Fence checking and maintenance is a
major job of the reserves management team and by doing our own patrols we can help them by flagging any
problems we find. Additionally, we have been timing these sessions in the run-up to the full moon. Full moon
is the period with the most poaching activity on game reserves and so its especially vital at this time each
month that any weaknesses or disturbances to the fences are detected and dealt with.

Litter-picking may not be the most exciting or glamorous activity and isnt generally something people would
look forward to when planning to volunteer in Africa, but having walked 50km of fence line and collecting
several truck-loads of litter our volunteers have been able to see the immediate impact of their efforts. On top
of this, getting to see the reserves cheetahs and buffalo through the fence, along with some good birding on
the walks, meant it wasnt a totally rubbish job.