Annual Report 2008 by ALERT

Annual Report 2008 African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

CONTENTS 3. 4. 5. 7. 8. 9. 14.

Message from the founder Our patron About ALERT Working in partnership Our partners ALERT Chief Operating Officer David Youldon takes a look back at a challenging year… Financial statements

The African Lion & Environmental Research Trust works with all sectors of society throughout Africa to promote the development of sustainable conservation management plans. ALERT is proud to foster partnerships with local communities that collaboratively develop and implement African solutions to African challenges. ALERT promotes community action by raising awareness, motivating and empowering people to protect and restore their environment and improve livelihoods. African Lion & Environmental Research Trust (UK) 39 St. James’s Place London SW1A 1NS United Kingdom UK Charity Commission Number 1120572 E: info@lionalert.org W: www.lionalert.org

How to make a donation: The simplest form of making a donation is by Direct Bank Transfer to ALERT using the following banking details: African Lion and Environmental Research Trust Account Number: 03482258 Sort Code: 30‐98‐71 Lloyds TSB Bank BIC No: LOYDGB21006 32 Oxford Street, IBAN No: GB10LOYD30987103482258 London W1D 1AX Alternatively, click on the CAF symbol to be taken to our secure online debit / credit card donation site

African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

Message from the founder… Across the greatest of Africa’s savannahs to the depths of its darkest forest; within its vast lakes and rivers and on its towering mountains, Africa‘s wild heritage is under threat. From the most iconic of its species, the African lion, to the humble grasses of its great plains, wildlife across the continent is facing an ever‐increasing fight for survival. Wildlife populations are tumbling across every habitat as the footprint of humanity spreads across Africa’s fragile eco‐ systems. As habitats are over‐utilized or destroyed the natural processes that offer a vital resource to communities are being denuded, such as; access to clean water; reduction in soil quality; loss of wood for fuel; and the extinction of flora and fauna species. The lower economic benefits derived from such denuded habitats leads only to the need to convert more and more natural areas to other uses to try and maintain those benefits that we have lost – and it is Africa’s wildlife that is paying the price. Simply putting a halt to social and economic development to save what is left of Africa’s wild areas though is not a sustainable solution. What we need is responsible development. To look into the future and deliver the development needed in a way that is compatible with life support systems, ecosystems and natural services. Decision making is not a trade off between economic development and environmental planning. This is a false choice. Decisions have to take into account both – conservation must be at the centre of how our economies and our countries work. But this change in thinking will not happen overnight. Even if we were to start today to integrate a more holistic management of Africa’s resources into its policy making it will already be too late for many of Africa’s species. Some are already on the endangered list and many more, classified as vulnerable, will join them on that list soon. The African lion, a symbol of Africa has lost 80 – 90% of its population in just the last thirty five years! Imagine Africa without the lion… Faced with these huge challenges it is up to our generation to take action now. We can immediately start a variety of programs to protect what is left as well as establish the means to restore areas to their former glory when protection of those areas is possible. If we fail to take the opportunity offered to us to unite and face these challenges together we will be the most vilified generation that has ever lived on this continent. Andrew Conolly Chairman and Founder of ALERT

African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

“I am extremely proud to represent ALERT, not just because of its forward thinking work to help save the African lion, but because they are looking at the wider issues in conservation on the African continent; looking at the whole eco‐system within which the lion lives; trying to find ways to develop management plans that will work in the long term and involving and empowering local communities every step of the way. I am also refreshed by ALERT’s willingness to work alongside other organizations in partnership, to share ideas and draw different people together to try and find the best solutions to face Africa’s challenges” Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Patron of ALERT (UK): Sir Ranulph Fiennes… Sir Ranulph Fiennes agreed to become patron of the African Lion & Environmental Research Trust (UK) in early September 2007 following his attendance at our first stage two release at the Dollar Block reserve in Zimbabwe. Ran has spent time at our stage one sites in Victoria Falls and at Antelope Park as well as taking part in our community development projects in Livingstone, Zambia. He has brought awareness to our programs through the a number of media promotions and assisted us at fundraising events in both Harare and London. ALERT thanks Ran and his wife, Louise, for their encouragement and support in helping keep the African lion part of a Wild Africa. Sir Ranulph Twisleton‐Wykeham‐Fiennes, 3rd Baronet, OBE, is a British explorer and holder of several endurance records; he was the first man to visit both the North and South Poles. Fiennes was born in England shortly after the death of his father in World War II. After the war his mother moved the family to South Africa where he remained until he was 12. Adventurer Since the 1960s Fiennes has been an explorer. He led expeditions up the White Nile on a hovercraft in 1969 and on Norway's Jostedalsbre Glacier in 1970. Perhaps his most famous trek was the Transglobe Expedition that he undertook from 1979 until 1982. Fiennes and Charles Burton journeyed around the world on its polar axis using surface transport only, covering 52,000 miles and becoming the first people ever to have visited both poles by surface travel. In 1992 Fiennes led an expedition that discovered the lost city of Ubar in Oman; Ptolemy's long‐ lost Atlantis of the Sands, the frankincense centre of the world. The following year he joined with nutrition specialist Mike Stroud to become the first to cross the Antarctic continent unaided. Their journey of 97 days is the longest in south Polar history. Despite suffering from a heart attack and undergoing a double heart by‐pass operation just four months previously, Fiennes joined up with Stroud again in 2003 to carry out the extraordinary feat of completing seven marathons in seven days on seven continents. Fiennes reached 28,500ft in a 2005 attempt to climb Everest. The 16th of November 2005 marked the 150th Anniversary of David Livingstone’s first glimpse of the Victoria Falls. Ran led an expedition to recreate the last part of Livingstone’s epic trip down the Zambezi River to ‘Livingstone Island’ on the edge of Victoria Falls (this expedition started on 2nd November, and originally took David Livingstone four years). In March 2007, despite a lifelong fear of heights, Fiennes undertook a personal challenge to climb the Eiger by its feared North Face.

African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

About ALERT… We are the African Lion & Environmental Research Trust (ALERT), a non‐profit organization dedicated to the facilitation and promotion of sound conservation and management plans for the African lion (Panthera leo) in consultation with governments, wildlife authorities and communities. ALERT also comprises the Conservation Centre for Wild Africa (CCWA) and the ALERT Communities Trust (ACT), each with distinct but complimentary conservation, research and community development & empowerment programs. History ALERT was founded in 2005 at Antelope Park, near the city of Gweru in the heart of the Zimbabwe Midlands, to support the four‐ stage African Lion Rehabilitation and Release into the Wild Program developed by Andrew & Wendy Conolly in 1999. The aim of this program is to provide a solution to augmenting the sharply decreasing numbers of African lions through the release of wild‐borne offspring from rehabilitated captive bred lions. In recognition that the environment is shaped not just by geography and bio‐physical factors, but also by socio‐economic and political ones ALERT was also founded to develop a holistic view to lion conservation to ensure that wild and reintroduced prides can survive in viable numbers. Given the recent and rapid reduction in lion populations across Africa (80 – 90% since 1975), it is ALERT’s opinion that habitat protection methods implemented at the cost of hundreds of millions of dollars over the last 30 to 40 years have so far failed the lion and many other species. Further, as stated by the IUCN, “the causes of this [population] reduction are not well understood, are unlikely to have ceased, and may not be reversible.” ALERT fully believes in habitat protection for the long term sustainability of African lion populations but given we are clearly failing the species we believe that a range of both in‐situ and ex‐situ solutions must be found before the lion becomes critically endangered. We believe that these solutions should include a workable reintroduction program from captive stock that can be implemented as part of eco‐system restoration projects across the continent. Conservation of one species in isolation is unlikely to provide a sustainable future for that species; only through greater understanding of the environment within which the lion lives and its interactions with that environment can sound conservation and management decisions be made. To this end CCWA was formed to specifically consider these wider issues and engage in in‐situ and ex‐situ conservation and research of other species with which the lion shares its environment. Only through real community participation in conservation does the lion, or any of Africa’s wildlife, have a long term future. At present most communities receive little benefit from the wild areas around them and therefore many over‐utilize those resources. If we can assist the African people to develop opportunities to improve their livelihood through sustainable use of those natural resources then those communities will have reason to make rational decisions to protect these wild areas. ALERT, through our developing community programs, is working towards practical ways to empower communities for the benefit of truly sustainable use of land; motivated by Africans to the benefit of Africans.

African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

The African lion is an iconic symbol of Africa; a powerful image that can draw attention not just to this keystone species, but can assist in raising awareness for lesser appreciated species, its environment and the people who live with it. The African lion… an ambassador for all of Africa’s wildlife and its people.

African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

Working in partnership… ALERT seeks to develop cooperative partnerships to: reflect the strength of unions forged between Africa’s diverse stakeholders; to provide a forum to generate innovative conservation solutions in tandem with responsible development programs, to leverage funding and develop a culture of sharing of expertise between partners to meet the most pressing conservation and development needs across the continent. Our operational partners include a variety of government agencies and wildlife authorities, NGO’s, conservation organizations and community groups. Through these partnerships we can ensure the most effective use of limited resources, draw from a diversity of expertise and generate joint programs that benefit all the partners in achieving their individual objectives and our combined aims. Our funding partners come from all walks of life to provide finance and resources to our various projects. Our commercial partners are vital to the ongoing financial sustainability of our projects. By building commercial enterprises around our conservation and community programs, and having them operated by commercial organizations with the experience and resources to maximize revenues from those enterprises, we are able to ensure that each program is given the chance to become financially self‐sustaining after implementation and thus reduce their reliance on limited donor funding. ALERT is the founder member of the African Conservation Council which aims to broaden the role of partnerships to address Africa’s greatest challenge; achieving social and economic development in a way that is compatible with life support systems, eco‐systems and natural services.

African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

Crossing Borders… The lion is a symbol of many indigenous cultures. ALERT seeks to address continent wide issues in conservation whilst maintaining location specific solutions. Through our programs we hope to foster cross border co‐operation to meet the needs of Africa. Our partners include…

Africa Centre for Holistic Management African Impact African Encounter Antelope Park Gweru Centre for Abused Children Environment Africa Happy Africa Foundation Imire Black Rhino Breeding Centre Lion Encounter (Zambia)

Lion Encounter (Zimbabwe) Midland Children’s Home Safari par Excellence Savannah Cheetah Foundation Victoria Falls Anti‐Poaching Unit Victoria Falls Home Based Care Group Zambian Tourist Authority Zambian Department of Forestry Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority Zambezi Memories

African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

ALERT Chief Operating Officer David Youldon takes a look back at a challenging year…

At the beginning of 2008 I made the following statement in our first newsletter of the year… “I hope that like us, you have many plans for the year ahead and the desire to overcome all the challenges that may present themselves in order to meet those goals”. Well 2008 turned out to be an extremely challenging year for Zimbabwe as I am sure everyone in the world who has watched the news or looked at a newspaper at any point will have seen, and yet we enter 2009 stronger than ever. We have a host of new conservation initiatives in place; we have expanded our operations into Zambia; and we have built upon the promise of 2007. All of this has only been possible thanks to the unwavering desire of everyone that works on our programs to strive towards achieving our aims, to conserve a wild Africa for future generations. But before we look at what is ahead of us in 2009, let’s take a moment to look more closely at, and reflect upon some of the stories of the past year. January saw the launch of our very popular Sponsor a Lion program. Appealing particularly to guests on our lion walks and to past voluntourists who have been fortunate enough to come into direct contact with the cubs, the program raises important funding towards the costs of securing and operating a release area. All of the money raised by the program this year went to stock our Dollar Block release site with a selection of game, which the pride very much enjoyed. Sponsors receive a number of benefits for joining the program including: • A high quality photograph of the sponsored lion; • A complete biography of the sponsored lion; • A monthly e‐newsletter; • Quarterly updates and photographs of the sponsored lion; • The opportunity to help name any offspring of the sponsored lion. Of course, the greatest benefit is in knowing that they are part of the ongoing solution to help save this, the most iconic of all African animals. We have now produced a complete pdf (pictured left) to give potential sponsors the full information that they need in order to decide whether to join the program and how to go about it. For your copy please just send an email to us at sponsor@lionalert.org and we will be happy to send it out to you. Existing sponsors will be pleased to hear that we are now able to offer a direct debit payment system which can be set up in a few moments online. This will make things a lot easier and we will be contacting all our current sponsors to give them the details very shortly. Also in this month I travelled to the UK to host our first ever event outside of Africa. With our UK patron, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, giving a lecture on his many achievements, and a host of support from people like artists Guy Hammond and Paul Bussell donating their work towards a charity auction and from celebrities such as Hollywood actor Ralph Fiennes, the event was a huge success, attracting a large number of past voluntourists and many people looking to find out about the program, including the BBC’s World Affairs Editor, John Simpson. In February young Nandi made her first kill, taking a southern yellow billed‐hornbill. Many of our cubs start their hunting career by taking birds. We also announced that on 1st April 2008 Ashanti, Kenge and Phyre would be joined in stage two by three further females; Athena, Nala & Narnia. The six‐strong pride proved themselves extremely capable hunters, but I’ll come back to this later. African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

On Sunday 10th February the UK’s Sunday Times newspaper printed an article entitled “African Lion Encounters: A Bloody Con”. The article claimed that 59 lions had been sold by Antelope Park to big‐game hunters and the canned hunting industry in South Africa. Further, claims of gross mistreatment of our animals were suggested and inaccurate comments about our release program were made in order to tarnish the good work of the Lion Rehabilitation & Release into the Wild Program. Our supporters rallied around us from far and wide to refute the article and we lodged a formal complaint with the Press Complaints Commission. Following an investigation during which we provided the Commission with substantial evidence that the claims made in the article were false, the paper was ordered to withdraw it and print a full retraction and apology. I would like to thank, both personally, and on behalf of the Trust, all those who were steadfast in their support of our aims, objectives, methods and ethics during this difficult time. In March Amghela made her first kill taking a much larger bird… an ostrich, but our research was showing that although females were achieving a 51% hunting success rate on Night Encounters, they were being solidly beaten by the boys who were achieving a 54% success rate. By the end of the year though the girls had clawed themselves back, and indeed slightly passed the all male groups’ hunting success. Maybe the saddest moment of the year for everyone working on the program was when Amanzi sadly died. This young male had been beset by health problems, but was one of the most charismatic of all our lions, and was deeply loved by everyone who enjoyed walking with him. He will always stay in our hearts and in our memories but his legacy will live on in Nandi, who, having learnt from Amanzi in a way that we could never fully emulate, found the confidence to fully experience the wild around her and as such has a much higher chance of survival in stage two because of him. th Those of us out after dark on the 24 of the month were treated to one of the most impressive Night Encounters ever witnessed at Antelope Park. A herd of wildebeest were spotted and the four brothers of Lokothula, Langa, Landela and Ltalo instantly went into stalking mode. Landela took advantage of a road with long grass between him and the herd to conceal a full charge from 150 metres that intercepted the herd as it ran away from the other brothers who made a more direct and visible charge on a broad front. As the herd cut towards the road Landela was lying in wait easily taking a sub‐adult. Ltalo came within inches of taking down an adult before settling for sharing the young wildebeest with his three brothers. These four males have proven to be superlative hunters and we all look forward to their successful release into the next stage of the program.

ALERT seeks funding and support from individuals and organizations, either through direct contact or through an approved agency, and is committed to the highest ethical standards in the way it solicits funds, keeps a record of donations and engages with donors or potential donors. Our Ethical Fundraising Policy was published this month to foster respectful and productive fundraising with our communities. If you would like to receive a copy of this important document please email us at info@lionalert.org. April was an extremely busy and productive month. Msasa made her first kill ‐ a banded mongoose; preliminary results from a number of ongoing research studies looking at the hunting behaviour of our stage one lions compared to wild lions was published in our monthly newsletter showing that our lions are not only doing well, but in many cases surpassing the hunting success rates of wild prides; and we started to produce a range of publications to better inform our supporters and potential donors. The image to the left shows you latest version of the information pack, ready for 2009. We will continue to keep it updated and available for download from our web page at www.lionalert.org. The image on the cover of course is the stage two release pride at Dollar Block; Ashanti, Athena, Kenge, Nala, Narnia and Phyre enjoying each other’s company following their release just before 11am on Sunday 13th April 2008. Early morning on day four, we found the pride about 300 metres from the southern boundary in mixed mopane and acacia woodland. They had killed a wildebeest; the first of many. African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

ALERT welcomed an independent researcher who was on secondment from the Zimbabwean Parks & Wildlife Management Authority and studying with the University of Zimbabwe. This study (in prep.) will give an independent review of our release protocols as well as looking at the role of captive lion breeding in lion conservation within Zimbabwe and the extent to which these lions withdraw from their human imprinting. The final aim of the study was to assist the Zimbabwean authorities create appropriate legislation within the country regarding captive lion breeding and the use of these animals; regulations that do not currently exist. In May we started to feel the effects of the economic challenges facing us. But we were not deterred – we simply put our heads down and focussed on making sure that each of our programs was functioning effectively and looked at ways to make them more efficient in preparation for harder times ahead. The main focus was on the continuing story of the released pride at Dollar Block. The six‐strong pride were making regular kills, every two or three days, and the group was bonding well, although we were seeing some split between the two sub‐groups; those that had been released in 2007 and the three that joined them in 2008. But as time went on this apparent split became marginal. During our first release we saw the pride often split into different groups to explore their new territory before rejoining, and it appeared that the same was happening the second time around. Athena, Nala and Narnia would often go off together, but always returned to Ashanti and co., who spent most of their free time lounging around by a waterhole having had many more months to explore. Week after week the group spent more and more time together until the pride was together at least 90% of the time and fully self‐sustaining. th On the 30 of May 2008 the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) made their decision regarding the proposed ALERT program in the Dambwa Forest just outside Livingstone in Zambia: “The ECZ has since reviewed the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and based on the information provided by yourselves and from written and verbal statements by interested and affected parties and our site verification inspection findings, we have approved your project proposal.” It has taken four years to work through the necessary legal processes to confirm the go‐ahead to build a stage two and our first stage three release area within the Forest. This is a huge testament to the dedication of the ALERT team as we take each day as it comes, to be patient and follow due process, no matter how slow it can sometimes be. In June we published the results from another independent study by a researcher from the Zimbabwe National University of Science and Technology. The study examined the activity patterns of three groups of captive lion cubs. Two groups (Antelope Park and Lion Encounter at Masuwe Lodge) are raised by humans as cub only prides and undergo behavioural enrichment, including daily walks, to prepare them for release into a wild area. The third group (Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage) consists of mother reared cubs with no behavioural enrichment. The results showed that the cubs within the ALERT program were displaying significantly more hunting instincts (including in play behaviour) compared to the mother reared cubs. Our cubs are also more active and alert. The study noted that the raising of cubs in the manner used within the ALERT program as a conservation technique receives a lot of criticism because there is no assurance that these cubs will develop normally. However, it concluded that the social upbringing being done at Antelope Park and Lion Encounter is aiding the cubs to develop characteristic hunting instincts; important behaviour in preparation for release. Seventeen‐month old Lozi and 18‐month old Mana spotted some warthog disappearing down a burrow. Getting closer to investigate, the cubs got a shock when three warthog, a mother and two sub‐adults, shot out of the den. Without any hesitation, Lozi sprang after one of the younger animals, catching and killing it and initially refusing to share any of it with Mana. This was Lozi’s first kill. His brother, Luangwa, made his first kill, a mongoose, soon after, but both were topped by the third male in the litter, Lungile, who managed to bag himself a buffalo! Their sister, Lina, not to be left out, got herself on the back of an elephant, although of course it was far too big for her to bring down. African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

During August I met with David Barron, President of the ICCF, an organization that educates US policy makers on funding priorities for sound natural resource management. The meeting was highly productive and a road map was agreed for ALERT to develop its US fundraising capabilities. I also met with the Savannah Cheetah Foundation in Parys in South Africa. There are many crossovers between their program and what we at ALERT are trying to achieve. ALERT believes that we can be more effective by developing cooperative partnerships and has now formally established a forum for this. Ben Deary, project manager for Antelope Park, was sponsored in August by CCWA to join a wildlife monitoring expedition in Zimbabwe’s Matusadona National Park run by the Zambezi Society. The expedition lasted for five days and took the team through some rugged terrain, with the group carrying all their food, clothes and camping equipment along the way. Numerous water points were found and catalogued along with sightings of elephants, hyenas and a honey badger en‐route ‐ but unfortunately there was no sign of the black rhino they were hoping to see. At the end of the trip all the data collected was sent back to Harare for analysis by the Zambezi Society in order to determine areas of the park with good water supply and also any possible black rhino territories. This information will be used to coordinate anti‐poaching patrols, as poaching in the park is a major problem. Also this month we launched our Facilitated Research Program permitting students from around the world to come and conduct studies on various elements of our programs. Our first arrival was an MPhil student from Exeter University who had elected to expand on the work we had already started looking at character traits in lions as a predictor of the role that an individual will take within a pride. The study will take some years to complete, but the results will have far reaching benefits to our program and our understanding of the social complexities within a lion pride. By September the challenges within Zimbabwe were acute. This demanded an even greater resolve to continue our work. This month we started a huge undertaking; to disease test every single lion within the program. Our consultant vets came to Antelope Park at the end of the month to commence the testing, dealing with the first 33 lions. Testing continued in December with a final round due to be completed in late January or early February. Our consultant vets are also founders of the AWARE trust. CCWA assisted in funding their joining vital conservation work on Zimbabwe’s hard‐hit rhino population in Matopos National Park. We also confirmed new release areas adjacent to Antelope Park. These new areas are large enough to build several release sites and work on this will commence in 2009. In partnership with the Zambian Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) we agreed a partnership to expand the Mosi‐oa‐Tunya National Park, bringing greater protection to this habitat. In October we brought you news on our work so far this year in Hwange National Park and surrounding areas. This included elephant‐human conflict mitigation, small carnivore research, our work with the Red Cross at a local community centre as well as our annual assistance in the 24‐hour game counts held in the area. We are hoping that we will see significant expansion in our work in this Park during 2009.

Through discussion with our partners; the Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority, Environment Africa and the Victoria Falls Home Based Care Group, we initiated a number of new programs within the Zambezi and Victoria Falls National Parks. These include the eradication of invasive alien plant species (see a special section in this newsletter on how you can become involved in this work), a study on the predator populations within the ZNP and research on habitat selection by sable antelope. We also formalized our conservation education program for the Victoria Falls area following a period of pilot schemes that were operated throughout 2008. As we head into 2009 we hope to expand the program to more areas. The Best of ALERT screensaver was launched to a delighted support base. Many people have now downloaded the screensaver which offers over 160 stunning images from the lion program. To get your copy just click on this link. http://www.shareit.com/product.html?productid=300270336&sessionid=1029453588&random=be6d9f11c9b0d33e5d3fcf3d7aa58 0c4

African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

At the end of October Sir Ranulph Fiennes, patron of ALERT UK, and his family returned to Antelope Park to see how we have been getting on since they were last with us for the first release at Dollar Block in 2007. Ran was particularly excited to see Echo and Etosha again, following an attempt to film an interview during his last visit that was gate‐crashed by a particularly playful Echo. “I am extremely proud to represent ALERT, not just because of its forward thinking work to help save the African lion, but because they are looking at the wider issues in conservation on the African continent; looking at the whole eco‐system within which the lion lives; trying to find ways to develop management plans that will work in the long term and involving and empowering local communities every step of the way. I am also refreshed by ALERT’s willingness to work alongside other organizations in partnership, to share ideas and draw different people together to try and find the best solutions to face Africa’s challenges” Sir Ranulph Fiennes. We continue to be grateful for the support that Ran and his wife, Louise, show to the program. In December operations commenced at our new stage one location in Livingstone. Walking along the Zambezi River whilst around you young cubs play and practice hunting the local waterbuck and buffalo population is an absolute pleasure. The voluntourist program is also about to become operational and we are talking with ZAWA and the local community about a number of conservation and community development schemes that we hope to implement over the coming year including a partnership to extend and provide more protection for the Mosi‐oa Tunya National Park. It has been a very bumpy year, but also an incredibly successful one. ALERT has acquitted itself well in making significant progress on all its priorities and we can only continue to grow in the following year. ALERT is particularly grateful for the secure partnerships it has with our commercial partners and in particular African Encounter. Without these partnerships and relying on donations alone ALERT would have struggled severely to achieve what it has, but thanks to the way that our relationships with other organizations have been structured, ALERT is able to rely on our partners during these difficult times. And so we look forward to 2009. As each month passes the work that ALERT is doing is becoming better appreciated within the conservation, academic and funding communities. Our focus for 2009 is to build on the foundations put in place during 2008 and we hope to achieve the following by the end of 2009: • to complete the infrastructure for at least two stage two release areas and start work on a third; • to commence building on our first stage three release area and confirm the land for a second; • to confirm the location of our first stage four release area following an impact study to ensure the site is appropriate; • to establish a greater presence within Victoria Falls and engage local communities in local conservation issues to a greater extent; • to expand our operations within Hwange National Park; • to develop our new Livingstone project to the benefit of local communities through employment, empowerment schemes and education; • and to finally go live with our new website which is now in production. There are many other developments which I have passed over from 2008, and many more projects we hope to develop in 2009, but I leave you with our grateful thanks to all of you who have continued to support our programs over the past year. All of us at ALERT look forward to an even more successful 2009, in partnership. Kindest regards and thank you,

David Youldon ALERT Chief Operating Officer

African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

African Lion Environmental Research Trust (A Company Limited by Guarantee and Not Having a Share Capital) REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008

COMPANY NO: 6311286 CHARITY COMMISSION NO: 1120572

AFRICAN LION ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH TRUST CONTENTS

Page

Company Information

Report of the Trustees

3-5

Report of the Independent Examiner

Statement of Financial Activities

Balance Sheet

Notes to the Financial Statements

9 - 12

AFRICAN LION ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH TRUST COMPANY INFORMATION Company Number

6311286

Registered Charity Number

1120572

Registered Office

39 St. Jamesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place London SW1A 1NS United Kingdom

Company Secretary

Ms. Lisa Walker

Independent Examiner Wilkins Kennedy Stourside Place Station Road Ashford Kent. TN23 1PP

Bankers

Lloyds TSB (UK) Kingdom Bank (Zimbabwe)

AFRICAN LION ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH TRUST REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES The Trustees present their report, together with the financial statements for the period ended 31 December 2008. The trustees who served during the period are set out below. The power to appoint and discharge trustees is noted in the Memorandum and Articles of Association which are its governing documents. Status The charity is a company limited by guarantee, registered under the Companies Act 1985 and is a registered charity. Objects of the charity The objects of the Charity are for the public benefit: (1) To promote for the benefit of the public, the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of the African Lion. (2) To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of the African Lion. (3) To further and benefit the community in Africa by ensuring that they receive tangible benefit from supporting conservation programmes in relation to the African Lion. Trustees and Constitution The trustees who served during the period were: Mr. Clive Ronald Needham (appointed 15 August 2007) Mr. Charles Arthur Cain (appointed 15 August 2007) Ms. Lisa Walker (Secretary) (appointed 15 August 2007) The directors who served during the year were: Mr. Andrew Conolly (Chairman) Mr. Charles Arthur Cain Mr. Clive Ronald Needham Mr. David Scott Mr. Kevin John Liddle

(appointed 14 January 2008) (appointed 12 July 2007) (appointed 12 July 2007) (appointed 1 May 2008) (appointed 14 January 2008) and (resigned 7 May 2008)

Each member of the Association has guaranteed to subscribe ÂŁ1.00 in the event of the company being wound-up. The company was incorporated as a limited company on 12 July 2007 and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association. The company number is 6311286. The company is also registered with the Charity Commission, number 1120572.

AFRICAN LION ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH TRUST REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES Trustees’ Responsibilities The Trustees are required by Company Law to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the surplus or deficit of the company for that period. In preparation of these financial statements, the Trustees have: • selected suitable accounting policies and applied them consistently; • made reasonable and prudent judgements and estimates; • stated whether applicable accounting standards and Statements of Recommended Practice have been followed subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; • prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in operation. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the company and which enable it to ensure that financial statements comply with the Companies Act 1985. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Review of activities The company was incorporated on 12 July 2007. Alert continues to be high profile in Africa promoting the conservation and well being of the African Lion. A detailed report on Alert’s activities to date has been separately presented and should be read in conjunction with these financial reports. During the latter part of 2007 a large amount of our time was taken up with the set-up of Alert’s infrastructure, systems and controls along with policy and philosophy determination plus recruitment of personnel. Alert did not effectively commence operations until early 2008, with a compliment of staff and a lion release site having been developed. Alert’s aims objects and vision remain: • • •

To promote for the benefit of the public, the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of the African Lion. To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of the African Lion. To further and benefit the community in Africa by ensuring that they receive tangible benefit from supporting conservation programmes in relation to the African Lion.

Risk management The trustees have examined the major risks to which the charity is exposed and confirm that systems have been established to mitigate those risks. Investment powers Under the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the charity has the power to make any investment, which the trustees see fit.

AFRICAN LION ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH TRUST REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES Financial Review and Reserves policy Alert is still in the process of raising its required funding for the current planned short term projects in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The unrestricted activities of the charity resulted in a surplus of ÂŁ48,442. It is the aim of the charity to build up unrestricted funds, which are the free cash reserves of the charity, at a level which equates to six months budgeted total future operating expenditure. The balance of unrestricted cash funds at the period end had not yet reached this level in the first year of operations. We continue to actively work to build the unrestricted cash reserves of Alert. Small company exemption The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with special provisions of Part VII of the Companies Act 1985 relating to small companies.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD

Clive Needham Director 29 July 2009

AFRICAN LION ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH TRUST REPORTING ACCOUNTANT’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS We report on the accounts for the period ended 31 December 2008 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet and the related notes numbered 1 to 11. This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, for the purposes of section 249(A)2 of the Companies Act 1985. Our work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in a reporting accountant’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and its members as a body, for our work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. Respective responsibilities of trustees and reporting accountants As described in the trustees’ report the trustees (who also act as directors for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts, and they consider that the charitable company is exempt from an audit. It is our responsibility to carry out procedures designed to enable us to report our opinion. Basis of opinion Our work was conducted in accordance with the Statement of Standards for Reporting Accountants, and so our procedures consisted of comparing the accounts with the accounting records kept by the charitable company, and making such limited enquiries of the officers of the charitable company as we considered necessary for the purposes of this report. These procedures provide only the assurance expressed in our opinion. Opinion In our opinion: (a)

the accounts are in agreement with accounting records kept by the charity under section 221 of the Companies Act 1985 (‘the Act’);

(b)

having regard only to, and on the basis of, the information contained in those accounting records: the accounts have been drawn up in a manner consistent with the accounting (i) requirements specified in section 249C(6) of the Act; and (ii)

the charitable company satisfied the conditions for exemption from an audit of the accounts for the year specified in section 249A(4) of the Act and did not, at any time within that year, fall within any of the categories of companies not entitled to the exemption specified in section 249B(1).

Wilkins Kennedy Chartered Accountants Stourside Place Station Road Ashford Kent TN23 1PP

4 August 2009

AFRICAN LION ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH TRUST STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (incorporating an income and expenditure account) PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 Notes

12 July 2007 to 31 December 2008 Unrestricted Total Funds Funds £ £

Incoming Resources Donations Lion sponsorship program Merchandise sales Fund raising events Volunteer program

113,053 3,859 11,136 19,495 8,261

Total Incoming Resources

155,804

3,409 16,661

72,630 14,662 107,362

48,442

Resources Expended Costs of generating funds: Marketing Fundraising administration costs Costs of activities in furtherance of the charity’s objectives Lion release projects Management and administration Total resources expended Net income for the period Funds at the start of the period Funds at the end of the period

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities which commenced in the period. There were no other recognized gains or losses other than those stated above. The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.

AFRICAN LION ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH TRUST BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2008

Notes

2008 £

Fixed assets Tangible assets

Current Assets Merchandising Stock Debtors Cash and bank balances

£ 183,547

5,217 2,049 1,809 9,075

Creditors – Amounts Falling Due Within One Year 7 Net Current Liabilities

(144,180) (135,105)

Net Assets

48,442

Funds

Unrestricted funds

48,442 48,442

In the trustees' opinion the charitable company is entitled to the exemption from audit conferred by subsection 2 of Section 249a(1) of the Companies Act 1985 for the period ended 31 December 2008. The trustees confirm that no notice under Section 249B(2) of the Companies Act 1985 requiring an audit has been deposited by members. The trustees confirm that they are responsible for: (a)

ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records which comply with the requirements of Section 221 of the Companies Act 1985; and

(b)

preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its result for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Section 226 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 1985 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part VII of the Companies Act 1985 relating to small companies and with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective January 2007). The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 29 July 2009 and were signed on its behalf by:

Clive Needham Director

AFRICAN LION ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH TRUST NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 1

Accounting policies The principal accounting policies which are adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.

(a)

Basis of Accounting The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective January 2007). The results for the year are presented in the form of a statement of financial activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account), in order to comply with the Statement of Recommended Practice ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities’ (SORP 2005) issued by the Charity Commission in March 2005.

(b)

Donations and grants Donations, gifts and grants are included in full in the statement of financial activities when receivable.

(c)

Resources expended Resources expended are recognised in the period in which they are incurred. Resources expended include attributable VAT which cannot be recovered. Management and administration costs include the management of the charitable company’s assets, organisational management and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements. Certain expenditure is directly attributable to specific activities and has been included in those cost categories. Certain other costs, which are attributable to more than one activity, are apportioned across cost categories on the basis of an estimate of the proportion of time spent by staff on those activities.

(d)

Tangible fixed assets Individual fixed assets costing £100 or more are capitalised at cost. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of the assets over their estimated useful lives as follows: Office equipment & vehicles 4 years on a straight line basis Fencing 10 years on a straight line basis Lionesses No depreciation

(e)

Fund accounting Funds held by the charity are: Unrestricted general funds – these are funds which can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the trustees.

Net incoming resources for the period This is stated after charging: Depreciation Examining accountants remuneration

2008 £ 19,596 1,250

AFRICAN LION ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH TRUST NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 3

Resources expended

Administration Fundraising £ £ Staff costs Travel expenses Merchandising Legal fees Depreciation Bank charges Costs of events Consultant fees Lion release project expenses Marketing Miscellaneous expenses Independent Examiners fees

Marketing £

Lion release projects £

Total 2008 £

704 2,127 8,592 583 786 -

969 4,183 11,497 -

2,896 -

10,278 1,805 19,013 4,172 37,362

14,847 3,932 4,183 8,592 19,596 786 11,497 4,172 37,362

620

513 -

513 632

1,250

14,662

16,661

3,409

72,630

107,362

Staff costs and emoluments of the Trustees 2008 £ Salaries

14,847 14,847

The average weekly number of employees calculated on a full time equivalent basis was 3. No employees received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in the period. No pension scheme exists. No member of the Trustees has received any emoluments during the period, Mr A Conolly was reimbursed £6,000 in respect of event costs. 5

Taxation The company is a registered charity and under Section 505 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 is exempt from corporation tax.

AFRICAN LION ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH TRUST NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 6

Tangible fixed assets

Lionesses £

Fixtures, Fittings & Equipment £

Motor Vehicles £

Total £

Cost At 12 July 2007 Additions

20,690

176,069

6,384

203,143

At 31 December 2008

20,690

176,069

6,384

203,143

Depreciation At 12 July 2007 Charge for year

17,962

1,634

19,596

At 31 December 2008

17,962

1,634

19,596

Net Book Value At 31 December 2008

20,690

158,107

4,750

183,547

Creditors

2008 £

Amounts Falling Due Within One Year Loan to Antelope Park for lion release project development costs Loan to African Encounter for working capital CM Management (IOM) Limited Accountancy accrual

136,545 5,655 730 1,250 144,180

Funds Balance at 12 July 2007

Unrestricted General

Outgoing Resources

Balance at 31 December 2008

Incoming Resource s £

155,804

107,362

48,442

155,804

107,362

48,442

There were no restricted funds received during the period. All funds related to the overall aims and objectives of Alert.

Analysis of net assets between funds

Tangible fixed assets Net current liabilities

Unrestricte d £ 183,547 (135,105)

Total Funds £ 183,547 (135,105)

48,442

AFRICAN LION ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH TRUST NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 10

Capital commitments and contingent liabilities There were no capital commitments of contingent liabilities at 31 December 2008.

Related party transactions During the period donations totalling £101,121 were received from companies of which the Chairman of the Board of Trustees is a Director. Mr Clive Ronald Needham and Mr Charles Arthur Cain are directors of CM Management (IOM) Limited. During the period the company incurred costs totalling £3,747.30 in respect of administration and banking services. At 31 December 2008 the company owed CM Management (IOM) Limited £730.49.