Story by Jerry Nguwa
Deep inside the Ngeleku forest of the Mai-Ndombe REDD+ conservation concession, Mathieu Bolaa, the Wildlife Work’s DRC Biodiversity lead, is surrounded by his team of biodiversity assistants and local community members as they install their tents after a busy day working on a new transect sampling plan. Mathieu looks up from setting up his tent to realize that everyone is staring in awe at a community of clever Bonobos – Pan paniscus – that is getting closer and closer to the team in an attempt to steal a portion of the team’s food. The sight of the scene sends Mathieu into deep thought, and he reminisces on how in the past, it was uncertain if high value conservation species like Bonobos and elephants would ever return to the area.
Upon joining Wildlife Works’ Mai-Ndombe REDD+ project in 2011, Mathieu Bolaa was assigned the colossal task of making the area safe for endangered wildlife to return to the area and documenting the return of these species. Once ubiquitous in the area, elephants and bonobos alike sought safer forest due to intensive logging activities and poaching in the area. To succeed in his quest, Mathieu knew that it was essential to involve local communities.
The community initially mistrusted the biodiversity team due to previous misinformation circulated by those opposing the conservation concession. They feared restrictions on forest access, hunting, and cultural practices. With his team, Mathieu reassured the locals that the community-centered conservation method would improve their livelihoods by generating funds for better healthcare, education, and basic amenities.
When Mathieu Bolaa embarked on the task, elephants had last been seen at the south end of the concession near Ngeleku forest. The elephants had moved to the thick, thorny Ikuba forest, which provided safety from poachers, but was outside the conservation area and inhabited by a vigilant and untrusting community, the Waria.
Mathieu and his team camped at a rural village in the south and met with the traditional chief, who initially denied the presence of elephants. However, after Mathieu established a relationship with him and built-up trust, he later revealed their exact location in Ikuba forest and arranged for Mathieu’s visit with a team of hunters. After a challenging trek under a downpour for three consecutive days, the team found fresh elephant tracks. However, they had to leave quickly due to the Waria community’s opposition.
To gain the community’s trust, Wildlife Works hired locals, including former poachers and hunters, as biodiversity researchers. Their intimate knowledge of the forest and experience were invaluable for the biodiversity team. These locals worked as guides and trackers and were trained to use GPS devices and compasses to alleviate community suspicions about the new technology being used in their forest.
This helped build a positive perception of the biodiversity team’s work in the forest. The team emphasized that successful conservation required collaboration and that protecting high-value species like elephants and Bonobos would benefit the community through carbon credit sales. Their priority for community engagement was with the women because they were the bridge to passing along information to the rest of the communities on the benefits of the conservation project.
By involving the community in their work, they helped reduce poaching pressure. Although it took time, this approach eventually led to positive changes, proven by footage of previously fearful Bonobos in the area after just one year.
Over five years, the biodiversity team worked with local communities to stop hunting elephants. Eventually, the elephants felt safe enough to return, and now they can be seen as far North as Lubalu village. It’s now a common occurrence for the biodiversity team to capture camera trap footage of elephant families grazing peacefully. This behavior highlights the trust that the pachyderms have in their surroundings.
The Mai-Ndombe REDD+ project management is now facing a “happy problem.” The once scarce elephants have now become so numerous and confident that they occasionally venture into villagers’ agricultural fields. The project has worked with communities to develop solutions that resolve these human-wildlife occurrences safely and peacefully, and they are grateful to see this endangered species now thriving.
