Wilderness and CLAWS Conservancy win global stewardship award for Africa's first wildlife-friendly beef
Discover how Botswana's cattle farmers are overcoming the challenges of coexisting with apex predators.
The Wilderness safari operator and the CLAWS Conservancy have been awarded a global stewardship accolade for their groundbreaking initiative supporting Africa's first wildlife-friendly beef production in the Okavango Delta of Botswana. In 2013, escalating human-wildlife conflict resulted in farmers poaching and shooting lions, threatening their livelihoods.
The current partnership aims to transform conservation into a profitable business model. The initiative employs traditional herding methods, predator-proof enclosures, and technological tools like the Lion Alert System to protect livestock. Farmers receive financial and logistical support from Wilderness, which buys beef from participating farmers who agree not to harm lions.
Vincent Shacks, Head of Impact at Wilderness, emphasized that the program links lion conservation with sustainable rural incomes. This marks the second major international recognition for Wilderness this year. The organization's non-profit branch, Children in the Wilderness, was also recognized by Virtuoso's 2026 Impact List. The awards highlight the group's dedication to conservation-focused tourism and living alongside wildlife in Botswana.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
