Original Watercolor Wildlife Art by Alison Nicholls

This painting has been juried into the 2010 "Art of Conservation" exhibit by members of Artists For Conservation. It examines the complex subject of bushmeat and snares in Zimbabwe and was based on my experiences with the Painted Dog Conservation project's Anti-Poaching Unit. 35% of the sale price of this painting was donated to the Painted Dog Conservation project. The text below accompanies the painting in the exhibit.

In many African countries villagers set simple but deadly wire snares to catch 'bushmeat` for sale or for their own consumption. The snares are indiscriminate and any animal, including endangered species, may be caught and suffer a long, lingering and painful death. However animals are not the only victims. Often the villagers are also 'ensnared` in a vicious cycle of poverty and hunger, with bushmeat being their only source of income or food.

This is one of the biggest challenges facing conservation in Africa – allowing local people the opportunity to make a living by protecting their local habitats and wildlife. When the preservation of wildlife brings sufficient local jobs, poachers will become game rangers, protecting the source of their income. By doing so they are conserving and protecting their own futures too, breaking the vicious cycle of poverty and creating a new cycle of sustainable interdependence.