Endangered and Priority Species Conservation
Saving Africa’s Wildlife Through Real, Science-Led Action
Wildlife ACT focuses on endangered and priority species, those at high risk of extinction and crucial to ecosystem health. These animals often serve as keystone species, whose survival supports the biodiversity of forests, savannahs, rivers, and mountains. By protecting them, we help safeguard entire ecosystems.
Understanding Endangered and Priority Species
Across Africa and around the world, many species are facing the risk of extinction. An endangered species is defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one that is facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. Species are assessed based on population size, rate of decline, habitat condition, and threats such as poaching or climate change.
In addition to endangered species, Wildlife ACT identifies priority species: animals that are not only at risk but also play a critical role in maintaining the health and balance of ecosystems. By conserving these key species, we safeguard countless others that share their habitats.
The Species that Wildlife ACT works with
Spotted Hyaenas
(Crocuta crocuta) Least Concern
Why We Focus on These Species
Saving endangered and priority species helps protect entire ecosystems.Our targeted efforts not only prevent extinctions but also build resilient ecosystems that can support people and wildlife for generations to come.
Wildlife ACT’s approach is holistic. We integrate species monitoring with habitat restoration, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and community empowerment, ensuring that conservation efforts are inclusive, sustainable, and science-based.
How Wildlife ACT Protects Endangered and Priority Species
We take action where it is needed most. Our strategies include:
Specialist Wildlife Monitoring and Research
365-days-a-year field monitoring of endangered species.
Use of GPS, VHF and satellite collars, telemetry, and camera traps to track movements and threats.
Collection and analysis of critical data to inform real-time conservation decisions.
Emergency Response and Threat Reduction
Rapid rescue of animals caught in snares, poisoned, or injured.
Veterinary interventions, decontamination of poisoning sites, and wildlife recoveries
Species Range Expansion and Population Management
Supporting reintroductions and translocations for species like African Wild Dogs, Black Rhinos, and Cheetahs.
Facilitating habitat protection, corridor creation, and safe dispersal zones
Human-Wildlife Coexistence Programs
Engaging communities living near protected areas through education, workshops, and rapid conflict response.
Promoting non-lethal conflict mitigation methods to reduce livestock losses and retaliation
Community Conservation and Education
Investing in youth environmental education through bushcamps, ambassador clubs, and internships.
Offering conservation career pathways for young South Africans
Expand & Restore Habitats for Endangered Species
Safeguarding Africa’s endangered species requires more than protection from immediate threats — it demands the restoration and expansion of the habitats they depend on. Wildlife ACT’s work is rooted in the belief that long-term species conservation hinges on securing sustainable landscapes where wildlife can not only survive, but thrive. Through strategic partnerships and science-driven action, we actively expand protected ranges, restore degraded ecosystems, and reintroduce endangered wildlife into secure, connected habitats.
Securing and Expanding Critical Habitats
Wildlife ACT collaborates with conservation authorities, local communities, and NGOs to identify, secure, and expand critical habitats through a variety of approaches:
Developing ecological corridors to connect fragmented landscapes, enabling natural wildlife movements and gene flow.
Stewardship agreements that promote community-led conservation and the protection of privately owned or communal land.
Supporting the establishment of newly promulgated conservation areas that create safe spaces for biodiversity and mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
By protecting and enhancing these landscapes, we help to build resilient ecosystems that support endangered species and promote coexistence with surrounding communities.
Strategic Wildlife Recovery and Reintroduction
Our species recovery efforts involve the carefully planned translocation and reintroduction of priority species into newly secured or restored habitats. These operations are conducted with the highest regard for animal welfare and are underpinned by scientific research, logistical expertise, and post-release support.
Wildlife ACT’s professional teams:
Conduct field-based capture and relocation operations in collaboration with provincial parks and national conservation bodies.
Employ the latest GPS and satellite tracking technologies to monitor each reintroduced animal, collecting real-time data to inform adaptive management strategies.
Provide intensive post-release monitoring to ensure adaptation and integration into the wild population.
Real-World Impact and Measurable Results
In partnership with initiatives like WWF South Africa’s Black Rhino Range Expansion Project, we’ve contributed to the reintroduction of over 200 Black Rhinos into new protected areas. Our African Wild Dog programme, one of the most extensive in the country, involves the daily monitoring of over a third of South Africa’s population, ensuring their survival and the growth of genetically diverse, self-sustaining packs.
Since its inception, Wildlife ACT has:
endangered and priority species relocated.
volunteers have supported real conservation efforts.
hours of endangered species monitoring completed
of emergency wildlife interventions successfully carried out
of local community members engaged and empowered
These interventions not only bolster population numbers but also extend species ranges and restore ecological balance in areas where wildlife had been lost.
A Holistic Approach to Conservation
Our success lies in integrating habitat management with species recovery. Through habitat restoration, invasive species control, and rewilding efforts, we ensure that reintroduction sites can support long-term biodiversity. By working hand-in-hand with protected area managers, researchers, and communities, we foster a collaborative approach that enhances landscape-level conservation and builds a better future for Africa’s most endangered species.