No abstract

No abstract

As human populations grow, wildlife across the globe is increasingly threatened. As a zoo‐based conservation organization, Zoos Victoria (ZV) in south‐east Australia is dedicated to fighting wildlife extinction locally and globally. Our international partnerships work with local communities, governments and non‐governmental organizations. The focus of the ZV conservation programmes is on alleviating threats to wildlife while addressing the needs of the community. The shared vision of a partnership with the Melako Community Conservancy (MCC) in northern Kenya is to foster sustainable development that allows communities to live in balance with wildlife. In 2011, an opportunity arose to trial ZV's Connect‐Understand‐Act (CUA) model for influencing visitor behaviour change, and this led to the first practical application of this model in Kenya. The model utilizes best‐practice conservation, education and social science to shape wildlife‐friendly values and behaviours. The impact of this model is now being trialled in situ through a conservation‐based sports programme called ‘Kicking Goals for Wildlife’. After conducting a conservation‐needs assessment in 2010, the community identified human–wildlife conflict as an issue negatively impacting species such as the Beisa oryx Oryx gazella beisa and Grevy's zebra Equus grevyi. The Kicking Goals for Wildlife programme is targeted at morans (initiated youth ranging from 15 to 30 years of age, and also referred to as warriors), filling their ‘idle time’ with football as an alternative to harming wildlife or engaging in intertribal conflict. The outcomes of the programme will be measured through changes in warrior attitude, knowledge, behavioural efficacy, reduction in biological threat and social change. Preliminary feedback is showing positive progress across all aspects. An additional measure, in an effort to assess the programme's impact on target species, was distance sampling to monitor the changes in flight distance. This paper outlines the theoretical framework underpinning the model, using the Kicking Goals for Wildlife programme in the MCC as a case study for what is involved in planning, designing and implementing a conservation‐education programme in the field.

T he recent change in CMAJ's editorial leadership is troubling and disappointing. John Hoey and Anne Marie Todkill can be proud of their very forward leadership for the Journal during their tenure, and the Journal, its staff, and Canadian physicians will miss their invigorating leadership. One suspects that all the events surrounding their removal will not be revealed, perhaps, for a very long time. CMAJ, Canada's only general medical journal, is la grande dame of this country's peer-reviewed medical journals and has enjoyed international prestige for many years. Although recent events are regrettable, it is very important that we look forward to the continuation of the Journal's mission and role in providing the best in information about medicine, public health and health policy. We were asked fill the gap as Acting Editor-in-Chief and Editor Emeritus until the governance of the Journal has been reviewed and new editors are appointed. We will be, we suspect, reviled by some Canadian physicians and medical journal editors for choosing to step in. Our concern for the Journal, Canadian medicine, and the very competent editorial staff has persuaded us that we must step in, in spite of the hostile reactions. Both of us are temporary, and shall step down as soon as new editors are appointed. Also, we are assured by CMA and CMA Media that we will have complete editorial independence. The crux of this interim period is the formation of a governance review committee chaired by former Chief Justice, the Rt Honourable Antonio Lamer, with Dr. John Dossetor, CMAJ ombudsman-ethicist, as vice chair. In the meantime, the CMA has agreed to an interim governance program (www.cmaj.ca/pdfs/governance .pdf) that reflects the structure and processes developed at JAMA

No abstract