WCS 3-Sentence Science

Challenging Mining Concessions in Africa’s Albertine Rift

February 7, 2020

CREDIT: FIDÈLE KAVUBA

Each year, Wildlife Conservation Society scientists publish more than 300 peer-reviewed studies and papers. “WCS 3-Sentence Science” is a regular tip-sheet — in bite sized helpings — of some of this published work.

Here we present work by WCS’s Samuel Ayebare and Deo Kujirakwinja on the impact of mining concessions on wildlife in Africa’s Albertine Rift.

1. Researchers estimate that mining concessions now take up 33 percent of the Albertine Rift — one of Africa’s most biodiverse regions — and that some concessions harbor species with restricted ranges that need to be protected.
2. The current protected area network covers 134,246 km2; an additional 64,586 km2 would be required to ensure the conservation of all threatened and endemic species outside the parks and wildlife reserves; but to avoid mining concessions, this increases to 145,704 km2 — an area larger than the existing protected areas.
3. The authors conclude that mining concessions should be challenged by the conservation community.

Study and Journal: “Conservation planning for Africa’s Albertine Rift: Conserving a biodiverse region in the face of multiple threats” from Oryx
WCS Co-Author(s): Samuel Ayebare, Data Analysis and Oil Projects Manager, WCS Uganda; Deo Kujirakwinja, Project Manager Democratic Republic of Congo

For more information, contact: Stephen Sautner, 718–220–3682, ssautner@wcs.org.