Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
ZIMBABWEAN wildlife biologist Liomba-Junior Mathe has won an international award for his work in reducing human-wildlife conflict and protecting lions, livestock and rural livelihoods.
Mathe was named a 2026 International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Animal Action Award winner in recognition of more than a decade of developing practical solutions to help communities coexist with lions and other large carnivores.
He will travel to London to receive the award at the annual ceremony recognising outstanding contributions to animal welfare and wildlife conservation.
Mathe spent 11 years working with the University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) under its Trans-Kalahari Predator Programme in Hwange, where he rose from field assistant to lead the Long Shields Lion Guardian Programme.
The programme focused on reducing conflict between lions and communities surrounding Hwange National Park, where livestock losses can trigger retaliatory killings of lions through poisoning, spearing and shooting.
Mathe and his colleagues introduced community-based Lion Guardians, early-warning systems, predator-proof mobile enclosures and vuvuzelas to deter lions from approaching livestock and settlements without killing the animals.
The mobile enclosures, known as bomas, protect livestock from predators and can be moved between agricultural fields, where manure helps improve soil fertility and support crop production.
IFAW Country Director for Zimbabwe Alleta Nyahuye said Mathe’s work demonstrated how wildlife conservation could protect animals while addressing the challenges faced by communities living alongside them.
“Liomba represents a generation of African conservation leaders who understand that protecting wildlife cannot come at the expense of people,” she said.
“His work starts by listening to communities and understanding what it means for a family to lose livestock and then finding practical solutions that protect livelihoods while keeping lions alive.”
Nyahuye said such approaches were essential for the future of Africa’s wildlife landscapes.
Mathe, who grew up in Hwange, developed an interest in wildlife after a primary school visit to Hwange National Park, where he encountered elephants, giraffes, zebras and antelope in their natural habitat.
He later graduated with first-class honours in Biological Sciences from Midlands State University and studied International Wildlife Conservation Practice through WildCRU at the University of Oxford on a Recanati-Kaplan scholarship.
Mathe estimates that he has trained about 150 rangers and community guardians in practical approaches to managing human-wildlife conflict.
His work has expanded beyond lions to include cheetahs and hyenas, protected-area management, landscape connectivity and community engagement.
He is currently pursuing doctoral research focused on biodiversity monitoring and large-carnivore conservation with the Cheetah Conservation Fund.
He is also pursuing doctoral studies in natural resource management and ecology at the Namibia University of Science and Technology.
Mathe said the award recognised the collective contribution of communities, colleagues, mentors and conservationists who have supported his work.
“This award may have my name on it, but I have never worked alone. There have always been people walking alongside me—communities, colleagues, mentors and conservationists who have shaped my journey,” he said.
He said communities living alongside wildlife should be treated as partners in conservation rather than merely beneficiaries.
“We need to involve the communities that bear the cost of living next to wildlife. We should not consider them simply as beneficiaries; we should consider them as partners,” he said.
Mathe said he hopes to contribute to conservation policy and planning across the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, which spans several southern African countries.
The 2026 awards are the 26th edition of IFAW’s Animal Action Awards, which recognise individuals, organisations and animals for their contributions to wildlife conservation, rescue and welfare.
