AMES Foundation

Protecting endangered species in the Waterberg bushveld

Limpopo, South Africa

Conservation, Restoration

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the project

Dabchick Game Reserve

Project overview

The Dabchick Game Reserve, spanning 1443 hectares, within Limpopo Province, South Africa, is under the stewardship of AMES Foundation since 2020. Situated in a rural area grappling with significant socio-economic challenges, the reserve has long faced environmental pressures due to unsustainable practices such as overgrazing, poaching, and genetic manipulation of species.

Through an adaptive approach focused on rewilding and ecological restoration, AMES has succeeded in creating a safe haven for biodiversity, including some of Africa's most endangered species such as the white rhino and Cape vulture.

This has been achieved by systematically acquiring cattle farms and rewilding them to allow native flora and fauna to return. Due to the ongoing threat of poaching in South Africa, a state-of-the-art anti-poaching unit has been established on site to protect endangered species such as the white rhino. Furthermore, a wide range of technology, from satellites to camera traps and drones, has been used to assist with anti-poaching, biodiversity monitoring and scientific research.

The local community has also been empowered by reinstating portions of land title in their name and providing jobs and accommodation in one of South Africa’s most challenging socio-economic environments.

how it works

Landler measures ecological integrity through biodiversity units.

A biodiversity unit is a natural capital unit that represents the ecological integrity value of one square kilometer of land over one year. The value ranges from 0 (not ecologically intact) to 1 (entirely ecologically intact). The ecological integrity value is derived from three indicators: habitat threats, indicator species and connectivity.

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Impact

In the spring of 2024, AMES came on board with Landler. Monitoring the ecological integrity of the reserve based on a remote sensing analysis of habitat threats and an assessment of indicator species, 14 biodiversity units have been created.

natural capital

number of biodiversity units

Avg. ecological integrity value

0.7873

Flora and fauna

avg. indicator species score

0.7778

The reserve currently has a wide range of herbivores including impala, giraffe, buffalo, white rhino, blue wildebeest. Predators include leopard, caracal, crocodile, cape vulture, African fish eagle, serval, brown and spotted hyena, with plans in place to reintroduce cheetah soon.

The vegetation is characterised by the Central Sandy Bushveld with species such as Terminalia sericea, Burkea africana, Combretum apiculatum and the Waterberg Mountain Bushveld with species such as Fauria saligna and Protea caffra.

Habitat threats

avg. habitat integrity

0.7968

Dabchick Game Reserve faces a number of threats, which the AMES Foundation is addressing through a variety of measures.

Due to the rhino poaching crisis in South Africa a critical breeding population of white rhinos are kept safe on the reserve and protected 24/7 by a state-of-the-art anti-poaching unit to ensure their survival.

Habitat degradation through previous overgrazing is another threat. Cattle grazing has exposed the soil to erosion and depletion, while invasive and alien species such as the bankrupt bush and the queen of the night destroys indigenous grasslands and the ability of soils to store carbon.

highlight species

Sustainable Development Goals

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about the originator

A non-profit foundation, AMES aims to make biodiversity conservation scalable and investable

Founded in 2020, the Africa's Most Endangered Species Foundation works to protect animals from extinction, restore biodiversity and providing sustainable opportunities to local communities. To do this, AMES relies on three pillars:

Firstly, its Guardian Community, who are like-minded doers who support through more than just financial means to pioneer conservation.

Second, AMES identifies, develops and deploys technologies that make conservation financially more sustainable and scalable.

And third, habitat conservation becomes the proof case. Measurable in hectares, AMES' goal is to expand protected habitat for endangered species to thrive and implement the necessary levers to manage it sustainably for generations to come.

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Pioneering conservation for a sustainable future by empowering communities and harnessing research

The AMES Foundation is supported by a Guardian Community of entrepreneurs, investors, decision makers and creatives, led by a leadership team of 7 members stemming both from South Africa and Germany. To carry out the tasks required to maintain the reserve, the foundation employs diverse teams from the local community on site. These tasks range from alien invasive clearing to anti-poaching and animal management. In addition, a science centre is located on the reserve which hosts teams of students to assist with biodiversity research on site. AMES also uniquely employs a dedicated habitat expansion team whose mission is to expand protected habitat and build natural corridors.

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community INVOLMENT

“Our vision is to create scalable ways to expand protected habitats in Africa. We look at holistic solutions that empower communities, building financial resilience and push the boundaries of what technology can do for conservation.”

Marios Michaelides

Habitat Fund Director

AMES Foundation

community impact