by Beatrice Karanja, Tusk Trustee and Tusk Awards Judge
The concept of mutualism is defined as ‘interactions between organisms of two different species, in which each organism benefits from the interaction in some way.’ The exchange of services between flora and fauna, as well as wildlife, is something that is constantly happening all around us.
The interesting thing about watching nature unfold — from a bee whose knees are laden with pollen buzzing onto a new flower or to an ox-pecker picking ticks off buffaloes and even the honeyguide and humans — is that it is all bound on one thing: mutualism. This is best described as the human who will find honey for the honeyguide and the seed that will germinate from a knee swipe from the bee; these relationships grow and thrive from mutual understanding and interactions.
There is no doubt that nature herself knows no boundaries, and so collaborative efforts across borders, species, and landscapes need to be embraced and propelled into Africa’s future scenarios. This should benefit both communities, which remain the key stewards of the landscapes they are reliant on for livelihoods, and the wildlife that they live in proximity to.
To advance collaborative conservation efforts across the African continent, Tusk has achieved a significant impact by bringing together grassroots organisations that are delivering significant change across vastly connected ecosystems.
The Tusk Conservation Symposium has been the genesis of this (p. 19 of the Tusk Talk Magazine 2023), out of which has grown Tusk’s Collaboration Fund which is engendering new ideas and allowing our partners to explore solutions and build innovative initiatives together.
Through maintaining these connections, we hope to see an increase in a multitude of benefits from healthy landscapes and ecosystems. This in turn will lead to growth in socio-economic benefits — rangers protecting wildlife, growth of nature-based enterprises, local suppliers to tourism lodges earning much-needed income, and capacity-building to up-skill many of those working across the spectrum of conservation professions.
Ensuring that we support local solutions that demonstrate proven track records and an ability to go to scale in protecting endangered species and preserving natural habitats, Tusk is well positioned to drive towards a meaningful and sustainable future for conservation in Africa.
Leveraging on our proven success while identifying the power of collaborative action, together with our network of projects, funders, and like-minded influencers, we have the ability to generate, embed, and foster linkages across the continent that will drive transformational change for Africa’s biodiversity and its communities that are its custodians.
So, just like the honeyguide and the honey-gatherer, collaboration, and support for joint efforts are the bee’s knees. We need to ensure that mutualism is protected at all costs and continue to marry success with innovation, supporting solutions that work for all.
