Background
INTRODUCTION
The Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe is a small island development state located in the Gulf of Guinea about 300 km off the west African coast. From volcanic origin, the archipelago has a very rugged topography which is wetted yearly with 800 to 900mm of rain. It is one of the smallest state in the world and the second in Africa with a population of 180.000 inhabitants. According to the recent poverty profile enquiry realized in 2011, it is a very young and impoverished country as 50% of the country´s population is less than 25 years old and more than 60% of the same population live under the poverty line (less than 2 dollars a day).
The archipelago is composed by the island of São Tomé which is the largest and the most inhabited; the island of Principe more commonly known as the autonomous region of Príncipe (ARP) and other small islets such as Ilheu das Rolas, ilheu das cabras, ilheu das pedras, ilheu bombon, ilheu caroco, tinhosa pequena and tinhosa grande. These islets have a significant touristic attraction potential.
The United Nations Development Programme in its 2011 human development index report (HDIR) Classified the country 148/177. This indicates and still confirms its position as one of the poorest in the world.The economy of the archipelago is essentially based on cacao and coffee cultures which represent the essential of country exportation. In the counterpart, most of commodities are imported increasing de facto the vulnerability of the state to economic shock.
The climate is essentially equatorial with moderate temperature changes. The average annual temperature is around 26ºC.
The democratic republic of Sao Tome and Principe has 1/3 of its territory covered by forest and various ecosystems (marine and terrestrial). According to the second national communication the DRSTP has more than 27 endemic species of birds out of 63 identified, 895 species of plants, 16 species of reptiles, 9 species of amphibians, exotic flowers and wonderful sandy beaches that can make São Tomé a very attractive and unique destination for ecotourism.
WILD LIFE PARK CREATION IN THE DISTRICT OF LOBATA
The DRSTP and its historical past, is famous worldwide for the production of cocoa and coffee which represent the country´s land marks.
Tourism is a promising sector that can be improved and draw more dividends to the state. Therefore an holistic approach is necessary to render the exception of the island a final destination for national and international tourism. According to the recent data collected form the National Institute of Statistics, in 2006 about 12500 foreign tourists visited Sao tome and Principe. Most of foreign visitors come to visit attractive islets and spend the rest of their time in hotels as there is not a zoo or a wild animal park that can be part of the holiday package offered to the tourists.
Another type of tourism that can be developed in the Sao Tome and Principe is Ecotourism.
Ecotourism in STP could be an opportunity to highlight global challenges and local opportunities, supporting sustainable development of tourism and promoting solutions that balance conservation, and communities’ sustainable natural resources management.
Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving visiting fragile, pristine, and relatively undisturbed natural areas. Its purpose may be to educate the forest dwellers communities for ecological conservation, the visitors or tourists to provide funds, that directly or indirectly will benefit the economic development and political empowerment of local communities.
Ecotourism focuses on socially responsibility, personal growth, and environmental sustainability. This in the context of Sao Tome and Principe will be a prime experience that can induced behavior changes of population towards the mismanagement of natural resources, mainly on issue regarding wood cut for charcoal production in the district of Lobata.
PRAIA DAS CONSCHAS SAVANNAH OF THE LOBATA DISTRICT AS POTENTIAL HABITAT FOR WILD ANIMALS.
The district of Lobata in the DRSTP represents a great potential for the development of ecotourism through creation of a wild animal park in the savannah of Praia das Conschas.
The northern region of the country has been chosen for its climatic disadvantage (semi-arid) where only about 500 to 700mm of rain fall per year against 900 to 1100mm in the remaining part of the island and its vulnerability to drought and its identification as a very easy to cut wood site by national charcoal producers. Its climatic regime makes Lobata one of the preferred destination for charcoal producers.
This situation cannot continue. For the past two years the government has been engaged in tremendous efforts to reduce deforestation, discourage extensive use of biomass by introducing clean energy sources, energy efficient stoves in communities’ household of the district of Lobata through community based adaptation programmes. This has conducted to the reconversion Programme that have benefited some charcoal producers thanks to irrigation system and piped water introduced to certain communities. Alternative income generating activities such as horticulture have been developed and this has seen the creation of the farmers of Praia das Conschas cooperative.
A WILD ANIMAL PARK IN LOBATA
A wild animal park in the Lobata district will offer national and international tourists an insight into the impact of deforestation and climate change on the environment in the district and will foster a greater appreciation of the country natural habitats.
The DRSTP has an estimated area of 4000 ha which covers the entire northern and northern east part of Sao Tome and the north east part of the Autonomous Region of Principe.
The savannah vegetation in Lobata is predominated by the presence of scattered trees and shrubs and a large crass carpet.
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY OPPORTUNITY
This project presents opportunities to develop animal husbandry in the DRSTP. Animal husbandry will consist in looking after and breeding animals. This concerns animal that are used in agriculture and are able to provide products and services to farmers and researchers. This could include as well domestic pets. Animal husbandry techniques will be used at the recreational facility and animal Centre for children.
These techniques might involve:
- Animal care and grooming
- Artificial insemination
- Embryo transfer
- Livestock farming through domestication
- Livestock accommodation and hygiene
- Training of farmers, ranchers, sheepherders, veterinaries, scientists, etc…
In the context of Sao Tome and Principe, few local initiatives of husbandry exist hence they suffer a lack of technical capacities and support/assistance from national technical services to accompany them in their private initiatives.
Duties and Responsibilities
AIM OF THE CONSULTANCY
The consultancy aim is to realize a feasibility study on the establishment of a wild animal park in the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe and the development of a recreational facility and animal center for children that can be associated to Ecotourism in the district of Lobata through planning, creation and conservation.
CONSULTANCY GENERAL OBJECTIVE
The general objective of this consultancy is to establish a 10/20 hectares wild animal park in the savannah of Praia das Conschas in the Lobata district.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
The specific objectives of this consultancy are as follows:
Conduct a feasibility study that will include the following:
- Environmental impact assessment
- Areas delimitation
- Geo-reference/Topographic studies
- Area mapping
Present a park management plan to include:
- Animal shelter building location
- Recreational facility´s areas construction
- Administration buildings
- Animal Center location and construction
- Animal import procedures and mechanisms
- Park Animal movement
- Required technical and support staff profiles
- Possibility of public and private partnership Initiative
Present an husbandry plan to include:
- Herder’s community identification
- Herders community selection
- Animal species selection
- Beneficiaries Capacity building plan
- Technical support plan
Present a provisional budget for the steps forward
EXPECTED RESULTS
- Consultancy document presented in 3 copies and two languages ( English and Portuguese) in 2 formats ( hard copies, CD/DVD/Pen drive)
- Wild animal park site identified
- Feasibility study conducted
- Wild animal park delimited and mapped
- Park management plan available
- Wild animal introduction plan available
- Husbandry plan available
- Capacity building/job creation opportunity plan available
- Provisional budget presented
CONSULTANT RESPONSIBILITIES
- Present a working plan to attain expected results
- Respect of consultancy timeframe
- Identified and review country´s existing policy (if any) in areas of wild animal park creation, management, animal import and introduction
- Collect and analyze information and data required for his final report presentation
- Initiate consultation with all relevant stake holders
- Adopt a participative approach work with local communities and local authorities
- Initiate focus group discussions, meeting, interviews to collect information and views
- Contact potential service providers for animal import and introduction
- Provides information on and assess the following possibilities to:
- Improve conservation of existing habitat
- Creation and conservation of new natural habitat
- Introduction of 10 hectares wild animal park in the savannah of Praia das Conschas
- Transformation of the wild animal park into a zoo safari park
- Build technical capacities of staff and local herders in husbandry
- Create a new cluster body of tourist guides
- Create new jobs.
- Create a recreational facility and educational animal center for children
- Foster the possibilities of establishing a public private partnership.
Competencies
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
- Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment
Functional Competencies:
- Acting as a team player with self initiatives
- Ability to work in remote rural communities
- Competencies in geographic information system, transboundary and topography
- Demonstrate capacity to work with national institutions in lusophone countries
- Good knowledge of Africa's fauna and flora
- Capacity to adapt to any working conditions under the tropics
- knowledge of UN instutions and previous consultancy desirable
- Creating synergies and managing conflicts through community assessment and participation
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- The selected candidates must have an MSc or PhD in animal conservation, wildlife management, biology, zoology, natural sciences and related subjects.
Experience:
- A minimum of seven years of field experience is required in areas of wildlife conservation, project management, budget planning, wild animal park establishment and management, capacity building for technical and local staff, advisory and policy making.
- Experience in wildlife conservation
- Experience in wild animal park creation
- Experience recreational facility and animal center management
- Experience in animal import and husbandry
- Experience in zoo management
- Experience in rangeland management
- Experience in conducting environmental impact assessment for zoo or wild animal park establishment
- Experience in range land resource mapping and management
- Experience in policy design and implementation in areas of animal conservation
- Experience in capacity assessment and building.
- Knowledge of English, French and Portuguese is required.
FC: 04500