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Mammals and their habitat face immense threat from anthropogenic pressures especially habitat destruction and bushmeat hunting. An overwhelming conservation focus on so-called "charismatic megafauna" translates to limited protections for small and medium-sized mammals including bats, rodents, pangolins etc. Across the tropics, a major challenge in mammal conservation stems from lack of local expertise, dearth of ecological evidence and government support. At SMACON, we seek to conduct basic ecological and conservation research, as the foundation for intervention plans that support local livelihoods, raise local capacity and influence government policy on species conservation. We believe conservation should be evidence-based.
SMACON was born during a four-day hike of the spectacular Afi Mountains Wildlife Sanctuary by our founders in 2016. Although a protected area, not all animals received equal protection at Afi. On the ground conservation efforts focused on megafauna to the exclusion of other species. This dichotomy translated to local "respect" for megafauna, but hunting of small-bodied mammals was rife and largely unchecked, with the most hunted animals being bats.