UNDP Jobs - 49214- International Consultant on Wildlife/hunting Susta

International Consultant on Wildlife/hunting Sustainable Management

Location :

home-based with trips to Kazakhstan

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Oct-2014

Application Deadline :

07-Sep-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

October-December 2014

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

31 days

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world, as a result the wildlife of the country is rich. There are 93 hunting animal species in Kazakhstan, including 34 species of mammals and 59 species of birds.

However,after the Soviet times and economic reforms, Kazakhstan almost stopped wildlife reproduction and commercial hunting. In many regions, wildlife resources were overhunted without any biological or rehabilitation measures. As a result populations of many huntable, rare (vulnerable) and endangered species has dropped.

Meanwhile, the total area of the hunting areas in Kazakhstan is 223, 2 mln ha out of the country’s area (270 mln. ha), where 119,8 mln. ha (53,0%) are related to separate hunting concessions. There are 698 of hunting concessions there. This means that hunters and local population use wildlife resources quite strongly. The hunting management system is being reformed under current policy since Kazakhstan became independent. However, in spite of ongoing work in this area, still many questions related to managing the hunting areas, where the wildlife and land ownership is split between private business, land users and the Government remain unsolved. The success of wildlife protection and sustainable use depends on the development of organizational and legal backgrounds stimulating resources flows into this area.

Currently, wildlife protection and breeding as well as development of the hunting management include following extended issues:

Existing hunting resources use system not fully meets current requirements in wildlife protection, breeding and use;
There is outdated hunting resources protection and breeding system in current hunting management policy;
There is outdated legal and economic mechanisms in current conditions of wildlife use;
There is outdated enforcement mechanism regulating enforcement system in terms of providing the punishment for offence committed in environmental protection and natural resources use based on current conservation requirements
There is insufficient and outdated system of information support, timely receipt and analysis of detailed, reliable, science-based official information on wildlife resorces;
There are mostly unprofitable private hunting concessions. The income generated from organization of hunting, as a rule, is incompatible with expenditures for developing hunting concession, keeping wildlife population, funding rangers, and maintaining vehicle fleet etc. There is no return mechanism on investments, and clear understanding how the economy (policy) of this sector to be built in conditions of modern Kazakhstan.

However, today there are many hunters in the country, who are interested in investing into development of sustainable hunting and fishing, ecotourism, photo safaris, captive breeding etc.

Duties and Responsibilities

Based on international experience identify key areas of improvement of wildlife management through the development of hunting of Kazakhstan.

Present international experience in following areas:

Application of legal aspects, tools (quotas, licenses, agreements) for ensuing sustainable use of wildlife through the development of hunting;
Conduction of monitoring and census (inventories) of wildlife at the national level;
Conduction of inter-economic hunting management (schemes for wildlife use and protection) at the national level;
Application of species- and spatial-based approaches to wildlife conservation;
Conduction of inter-economic hunting management: system, methodology and examples;
Conduction of economic valuation of ecosystem services in hunting;
Demonstration of the models of financial mechanisms on sustainable hunting management with examples presented.

Develop report on key areas of improvement of wildlife management through the development of hunting of Kazakhstan:

To review current legal basis of the Republic of Kazakhstan in wildlife protection, breeding with advisory support from national experts;
To develop recommendations for improvement of legislation of Kazakhstan on wildlife protection and breeding and propose regulations, which could adjust relationship between government agencies and entrepreneurs in wildlife conservation, breeding and use;
Together with national experts to visit private hunting concessions, review current monitoring system of wildlife of Kazakhstan, and develop recommendations for improvement of monitoring and census;
To develop recommendations for application of species- and spatial-based approaches to wildlife conservation;
To make proposals on improvement of technologies of inter-economic hunting management;
To make proposals on improvement of technologies of on-farm hunting management;
To make proposals on financial sustainability of hunting concessions: keeping wildlife population, funding rangers, and maintaining vehicle fleet and hunting concessions’ infrastructure;
To make proposals on implementation of different schemes of public-private partnership for implementing and funding projects aimed at using wildlife resources sustainably and developing infrastructure of hunting concession;
To develop action plan on improvement of wildlife management system through the development of hunting of Kazakhstan
To participate in Workshop/Round table to discuss national and international approaches to wildlife management and conservation.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standard;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP and GEF;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge and experience with programming development, monitoring and evaluation;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
Demonstrates openness to change, flexibility, and ability to manage complexities;
Ability to work under pressure and with multi-disciplinary and multicultural teams and possess excellent inter-personal skills;
Demonstrates strong written and oral communication skills;
Remains calm, in control, and good humoured even under pressure;
Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills;
Ability to establish priorities for self and others, and to work independently.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

University diploma in biology, biological resources management.

Experience:

At least 7 year experience in wildlife management, breeding and use, hunting management;
Excellent knowledge of international legislation on wildlife management, breeding and conservation;
Strong skills in written presentations and reports.

Language:

Fluency in English.

All the applications including:

Filled in P-11 form;
Proposal and filled in Confirmation of Interest and Submission of Financial Offer form;
other documents certifying the education, work experience and qualification should be emailed to assel.zhakupbekova@undp.org (with copy to talgat.kerteshev@undp.org)

Deadline for submission is 7 September, 2014.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.