From February 2024, the Cape Leopard Trust (CLT) will be hosting the Conservation Kraal Challenge. This national competition will call for designs for a “Mobi-kraal” – an affordable, safe, durable and portable predator-proof kraal (a coral or protective enclosure) to secure livestock.
Why is there a need for a “Mobi-Kraal”? In many agricultural areas, sharing the space between people and predators present huge challenges. By their nature, predators opportunistically hunt livestock, sometimes causing significant economic damage to both subsistence and commercial farmers. Retaliation often follows, but the reduction or removal of predators is not a viable or sustainable solution. Often, the best mitigation method is to secure livestock overnight when they’re at their most vulnerable, but for many farmers a permanent structure is not a viable option.
Through discussions with farmers in leopard conflict areas, the CLT identified the need to design and rigorously test a mobile predator-proof kraal, with the ultimate aim of sharing a freely available blueprint for livestock farmers and conservation organisations worldwide to add to their depredation mitigation toolbox. The “Mobi-kraal” project was borne from this need. From February 2024, the CLT is inviting applications from individuals and teams nationally who will use their creativity and engineering know-how to provide a practical solution to present to farmers who suffer stock losses.
Competition details:
The Conservation Kraal Challenge will be open for entries from 1 February to 30 June 2024. Participants stand a chance to win a cash prize of up to R50 000, and travel and accommodation costs valued at R 20 000 to help the Cape Leopard Trust develop and field test their design.
The challenge is open to South African citizens, or permanent residents of South Africa, who are 18 years or older. Entries will be accepted from individuals or teams of up to 5 people, from any discipline (engineering, agricultural and/or conservation experience is beneficial) and any degree of qualification, including students, professionals and amateurs.
Entry process:
- Read through the Conservation Kraal Challenge Competition Guide, which outlines all the necessary details and rules on the competition entry requirements and submission process, competition framework, design criteria and judging process.
- Prepare your entry by downloading the Entry Questions to compose your answers offline and get designing.
- Between 1 February and 30 June 2024, submit your entry through the Entry Portal on the Mobi-Kraal website. Create a profile for your individual or team entry, accept the Terms and Conditions, answer the entry questions, upload your design and click submit.
- Winners will be announced 10 August 2024, after a panel of judges have evaluated all entries.
Visit mobikraal.org or email [email protected] for more details.
The “Mobi-kraal” project is supported by the Royal Commission for AIUIa, Hans Hoheisen Charitable Trust, Van Tienhoven Foundation, Oppenheimer Generations and Spoor & Fisher.
