SPECIFIC DUTIES

The Project Officer will:

1. Lead implementation of activities under the LRF-funded project, “Trade study for live lions, parts and derivatives in Mozambique and Tanzania”, in particular:

• Following a process of consultation with partners and government agencies, finalise and implement the research methodology and work plan for both countries;
• Compile and maintain a comprehensive database of lion, parts and derivatives seizures,
• Lead on all aspects of data entry, analysis, reporting and publication;
• Lead on all aspects of preparing and releasing the research report with partners for the purposes of informing national decision-makers and authorities and informing a discussion at the CITES Animals Committee;
• Lead on corroborating anecdotal information through original field-based data to ensure TRAFFIC’s findings are accurate and objective;
• Coordinate all activities that feed into partner activities, such as sample collection for DNA or isotope work, in consultation with those partners.
2. Conduct the necessary desk and field-based work that will include literature reviews, interviews, data gathering, market surveys and analysis in Tanzania and Mozambique,
• Literature survey: Conduct an extensive literature review of scientific and grey literature containing reference to any historical and current issues relevant to lion, but particularly on trade in lion bone, other body-parts and population dynamics;
• Data collection and analysis: data will be collected from a variety of sources including government and industry available via the internet or in-country and using methods such as interviews, focus group discussions, market and consumer surveys, investigations; tissue sampling and data digitizing and used to assess the theoretical scale of trade and ultimately the potential stock of lion skeletons and other body-parts in each country;
• Interviews: Design and implement an interview programme to gather new information and to corroborate trade data and anecdotal information;
• A comprehensive database of seizure incidents involving lions since 2000 will be compiled from published and unpublished literature, government and inter-governmental agencies and online media sites. Information will be crosschecked and traced back to an original primary source where possible;
• All seizure data will be geo-referenced where possible and brought into a geographic information system (GIS) for visualization and further analysis;
3. Prepare research training materials, tools and train research assistants/interns on conducting research and data analysis;
4. Analysis and Report writing. The PO will to the extent possible determine the net impact of trade on wild populations of Panthera leo in the two countries and publish the results and recommendations for use by conservation authorities and other interested parties.
5. Assist in establishing and maintaining relationships with an ‘international community’ of stakeholders and collaborators including both private and public sectors;
6. Support project management processes, including maintaining appropriate records and preparing financial and technical reporting information as required;
7. Liaise with other offices of the TRAFFIC Network, other large cat researchers, relevant inter-governmental organisations, and wildlife authorities in the region to foster understanding and support for TRAFFIC’s programme objectives in a positive manner;
8. Represent TRAFFIC at national, regional and international meetings, and other events as required;
9. Communicate the results of TRAFFIC works such as through articles in the TRAFFIC Bulletin and reports; and,
10. Support other tasks as agreed with the Programme Manager.