Community anti-poaching patrols

One of the main challenges to biodiversity conservation in Nakai-Nam Theun is the illegal hunting of wildlife.

In order to conserve the current remaining populations of threatened species in the area and allow populations to recover from past hunting pressure, it is imperative that an intensive anti-poaching patrol system is put in place over the long-term.

From 2016 to 2023, and in collaboration with the local management authority, we supported the deployment of anti-poaching patrol teams (formed by trained villagers from the local community), focusing on Biodiversity Priority Zones delineated as part of the overall protected area management strategy of the protected area. Data management and interpretation is processed with the Program SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool ; http://smartconservationtools.org/).

In 2023, the financial support and management of the patrol teams we supported was taken over bu the Nakai-Nam Theun National Park Management Division for long-term sustainability.