Mission
Fundação Kissama promotes the defence, protection, conservation, management, study and research of Angola’s biodiversity. The organisation implements conservation, biodiversity management and environmental education projects; promotes actions aimed at the preservation of important biodiversity hotspots and flagship species; and raises awareness of biodiversity-related problems.
History
At its formation in 1996, our partner was involved in establishing a special conservation area near Quiçama National Park for the reintroduction of native species. The Noah’s Ark Project involved the transfer of around 150 animals from South Africa and Botswana, including giraffe, zebra and elephants.
For more than 12 years, Fundação Kissama was responsible for the daily management of the flora and fauna in the special conservation area in the Quiçama National Park. During this time, our partner helped to rebuild the Catalangombe School, aimed at training game rangers for environmental conservation areas in Angola and to improve patrolling in the area.
Fundação Kissama has a long history with the Giant Sable Conservation Project, becoming the implementing institution of the project’s scientific research and environmental education actions in 2010. Fundação Kissama began a new project in 2019, focused on the provinces of Bengo and Cuanza-Norte, that will aim to determine the geographic distribution zones of Forest Elephants. The organisation also implements a project to protect the marine turtles in partnership with the Faculty of Natural Sciences of Agostinho Neto University.
Our Partnership
Beginning in 2022, our partnership builds on Fundação Kissama’s experience in the Mount Moco area, where it has been working for over a decade. Described by our partner as one of the highest conservation priorities in Angola, our first project together aims to ensure the long-term survival of Mount Moco’s Afromontane forest and its associated biodiversity.
Afromontane forests are the most isolated, restricted and threatened habitat type in Angola, with only 700 ha remaining in the country. Mount Moco in Huambo Province holds more than 10% of these forests, the second-largest area in the country. Our project aims to protect enough Afromontane forest to support the continued survival of the largest-known population of Swierstra’s Francolin, along with eight other birds endemic to Angola and other Afromontane-restricted birds.
Current Projects with WLT
Mount Moco
The primary threat to Angola’s Afromontane forest is from adjacent grassland fires, which have a significant impact due to the small and linear nature of the forest patches that remain. To help heal this land – designated as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) – WLT will be funding fire management work, the planting of 1,000 trees per year, and the protection of 6,455 ha of land that will be brought under community management. The project aims to boost Mount Moco’s Afromontane forest coverage from 85 ha to 200 ha following these interventions.
Fundação Kissama staff will be joined in project activities by residents of Canjonde, a nearby village. Residents will be participating in fire management, tree planting, forest patrols, eco-literacy programmes, and livelihood initiatives including beekeeping. Concurrent with the WLT project, our partner will be working to achieve the legal declaration of the 13,853 ha Mount Moco Partial Reserve, which will be managed by the community.
Other activities
The Kitabanga Project was started in 2003 to support the conservation of sea turtles. It currently has an area of direct action covering 104 km, or approximately 6% of Angola’s coastline in 17 bases covering 6 out of the 7 coastal provinces.
In 2012, Fundação Kissama started the Stories to Conserve initiative as part of their environmental education outreach. The initiative aims to bring young people closer to nature and help them to understand conservation issues in Angola. It has so far produced a collection of children’s books with a focus on threatened animals and their ecosystems.
In 2018, Fundação Kissama created the Biodiversity Internship Program for Future Young Researchers and Project Managers, working alongside National Geographic Society and Wild Bird Trust. To date six programmes have been implemented with over 40 interns being trained.
Awards and Achievements
In 2007, Fundação Kissama was declared an Institution of Public Utility in recognition of its important contribution to the protection and conservation of Angolan biodiversity.
Our partner’s Stories to Conserve initiative has been given the seal of approval from Angola’s Ministry of Education, with the contents officially approved by the National Institute of Research and Development of Education.
Both the Giant Sable Project and the Marine Turtle Project have won international conservation awards such as the Whitley Award and Tusk Game Ranger Award.
