Both Lotter and Clark have worked in wildlife conservation for decades. Inspired by their mutual passion for Africa’s wildlife, and appalled by the devastation they saw poaching wreaking across the continent, Lotter and Clark founded PAMS as a small, nimble NGO, that they hoped would be able to have the maximum amount of impact. They train wildlife rangers, sponsor education initiatives and after-school wildlife clubs and work with farmers. They also work with law enforcers, with police and with a special taskforce, to identify poachers and trafficking networks, and then to get them into court and through the Tanzanian legal system. PAMS has earned a global reputation as a NGO that punches well above its size; tough, committed and effective.
The nonprofit uses a multifaceted approach to conservation pioneered by Lotter that saw the group train hundreds of wildlife rangers across Tanzania and sponsored several education initiatives and after school wildlife clubs in dozens of schools in areas where poaching was rampant. The group also worked with farmers in several areas to reduce human wildlife conflict.
Tributes to Lotter have poured in from all corners of the world. In an obituary posted online by primatologist Jane Goodall, she praised Lotter for his work. “Wayne was a hero of mine, a hero to many, someone who devoted his life to protecting Africa’s wildlife,” she wrote. “There is no doubt in my mind that Wayne’s anti poaching efforts made a big difference in the fight to save Tanzania’s elephants from the illegal ivory trade
Goodall, who spent many of her research years studying primates in Tanzania, intervened on Lotter’s behalf in 2014 when he faced opposition to his anti-poaching work. “At that time powerful vested interests were desperately trying to blacken Wayne’s name and close down the Pams Foundation,” she said in the post. Mary Rice, the executive director of the Environmental Investigation Agency called Lotter “one of the conservation world’s shining lights” and called his Foundation’s approach to conservation and anti-poaching one of the most successful models in Africa today. “Pams has been central in tackling rampant poaching and illegal wildlife trade in Tanzania, to the extent that criminal networks have moved into neighbouring countries to escape the increased enforcement and prosecution success that has been underpinned by the work of Wayne and his colleagues,” Rice said.
The head of the African Wildlife Foundation, Kaddu Sebunya, said: “Africa has lost a great friend and champion for wildlife. Wayne was one of the true heroes of conservation in Africa. AWF worked with Wayne for many years and we are saddened by his brutal murder. Our deepest condolences to his family and the PAMS team. Such a tragic loss for the African elephant. The best tribute we can give Wayne is to continue his good work to protect our heritage as Africans.”Pams Foundation and the specialised government anti-poaching unit supported by the nonprofit said Lotter’s death will not deter them from their work. “The war continues, of course, our work will continue,” said Ngowi, the head of the anti-poaching taskforce team.
