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Niassa Carnivore Project

Located in the far north-west of Mozambique, the Niassa Special Reserve (NSR) covers 40,000 km²—larger than Switzerland and twice the size of Kruger National Park. Despite its vast wilderness and one of Africa’s largest remaining lion populations, NSR receives very little funding from Mozambique’s national government and remains remote and largely inaccessible.

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THE Challenge

Although critically important, NSR is little known internationally and lacks the public support of other protected areas. The Reserve faces multiple threats:

  • Elephant poaching

  • Timber logging

  • Habitat transformation

  • Population growth

  • Bushmeat snaring

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NIASSA CARNIVORE PROJECT

Keith and Colleen Begg have lived and worked in Niassa for nearly 20 years, establishing the Niassa Carnivore Project (NCP). This non-profit conservation organisation works with local communities to protect the wilderness and its wildlife while helping people earn a living from the landscape.

NCP is pioneering in its approach, creating harmony between extremely poor local communities and wildlife, especially the lion population, which numbers over 500—one of the largest and most important in Africa.

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NSR is home to critically important species:

  • Lions: >500 individuals

  • Endangered Sable antelope: ~12,000 individuals

  • African wild dogs: ~350 individuals

NCP also has plans to reintroduce black rhino to the region.

CONSERVATION AND LIVELIHOODS

Despite its remoteness, 60,000 local people live across 50 villages within NSR. Without cattle (due to tsetse flies), communities rely on small-scale farming and bushmeat for protein. Commercial snaring for bushmeat poses the biggest threat to wildlife.

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Improving food security is essential for successful conservation. NCP works to reduce dependence on bushmeat by creating alternative livelihoods:

  • Small-scale farm training

  • Vegetable gardens

  • Alternative protein sources (e.g., chicken coops)

  • Honey production

  • Crafts and art

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Plum Supports

Lion Guardians:

Plum funds NCP’s Lion Guardian Team, a rapid reaction team of four local men and a carnivore vet. They respond to emergency conflicts (man-eating or livestock attacks), remove snares, and monitor key lion prides via collars (over 96 lions are monitored).

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Community Wildlife Guardians:

Plum also supports NCP’s Community Wildlife Guardians, active in 90% of the 45 villages inside NSR. This team:

  • Responds to carnivore attacks on people and livestock

  • Reinforces bomas

  • Calls the rapid reaction team in emergencies

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Equipment & Logistics:

Plum helped fund NCP’s new truck, essential for transporting diesel, food, and aviation fuel (Avgas) to sustain field operations.

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