Charting a course for nature

African Parks has presented their 2020 Annual Report: A Chartered Course. After an unprecedented year, they are looking to the future with an ambitious vision for conservation in Africa. And in one of Africa’s most volatile and unlikely protected areas, a stronghold for painted wolves is emerging.

The progress made in Chinko, Central African Republic has been a highlight of the challenging year. Decades of civil war and unrest had resulted in rampant poaching, overgrazing by cattle with armed herders, and little wildlife to be found. Only seven years since African Parks began managing Chinko, the change is incredible and it has emerged as a biodiversity and conservation hotspot.

The park is now the largest employer (of any kind) in the region. The core area of the park is poaching free, and Chinko is becoming a sanctuary for wildlife. New, independent painted wolf packs were observed in 2020. The number of known packs in Chinko increased from 8 to 13. This solidifies Chinko as a painted wolf stronghold in Central Africa.

The progress has been so dramatic that African Parks signed a new twenty five year partnership agreement with the government in 2020. This signifies both African Park’s success in the region and the Central African Republic’s commitment to conservation. The new mandate increases the land protected by African Parks, making Chinko the largest managed wilderness in all of Africa!

2020 also marked the 20th year since the founding of African Parks. However, instead of taking the time to celebrate, they took stock of the urgent need to do even more. Their roadmap for the next decade aims to directly manage 30 protected areas by 2030. This will significantly contribute to the global vision of protecting 30% of Africa for nature, and protect important painted wolf habitat across the continent.

Click HERE to learn more about African Parks and their incredible work in Chinko, Central African Republic.