The main responsibility of the Species Conservation and Management division is to spearhead the conservation and management programmes of wildlife nationally and in line with the KWS vision – “Saving the last great species and places on earth for humanity” and to ensure recovery of endangered species whose populations are on the threat of extinction.
FUNCTIONS OF THE DIVISION
- Formulate and implement policies, plans and guidelines for conservation, management and utilization of threatened wildlife species.
- Identify and prioritize threatened wildlife species conservation challenges requiring research, technology transfer and methodologies and implement research findings.
- Coordinate development and implementation of conservation and management strategic plans for conservation programmes and target taxa/species.
- Develop, review and advice on policy of species conservation and management.
- Coordinate monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of species conservation strategies.
- Improve, through training, wildlife management and conservation capacity for staff.
- Coordinate implementation of the rhino, elephant, and other endangered and nationally important species conservation programs.
- Oversee and coordinate activities within country of all wild animals’ captive facilities.
- Plan for the existing, and new constituency/space for wildlife.
- Vet species introduction, reintroduction and supplementation proposals.
- Coordinate species introduction, reintroduction and supplementations.
- Develop and maintain a database of translocations.
- Coordinate wildlife veterinary, capture and translocation activities.
- Coordinate veterinary diagnostic and forensic laboratory services.
- Develop country position on the listing of endangered species to international conventions e.g IUCN, CITES; CMS etc.
- Coordinate implementation of CITES and other species specific conventions.
The Species Conservation and Management division has 4 departments namely:
- Veterinary Services Department
Main function is to manage operations of veterinary services which include diagnostics, wildlife translocations and molecular/forensic laboratory services. It also develops and provides policy guidance and governance on wildlife health and welfare.
- Captive Wildlife Management Department
Established to mainly manage and coordinate activities of all wild animals’ captive facilities, on state, community and private lands.
- Species Management Department:
The department is responsible for coordinating the formulation and implementation of species-specific national conservation and management strategies especially those of endangered species to ensure viable populations of wildlife and their ecosystems are maintained.
- CITES Implementation Department
Whose overall function is to co-ordinate implementation of CITES Activities
