African Wildlife Foundation - Research Paper Example

The paper "African Wildlife Foundation" is an exceptional example of a research paper on environmental studies. 
The AWF or the African wildlife foundation is one of the leading wildlife conservation agencies of the world. Its main purpose is to protect and conserve wild and endangered species as well as their natural habitats throughout Africa. For the last forty-five years, the AWF has made the mission on the right track so that it ensures the endurance of wildlife resources of Africa.  Due to the vastness and geographical complexities of the African heartland, the AWF has ensured cooperation from many governments and non-government organizations. One among them is the AWDC or the African wild dog conservation engaged in Zambia. The AWDC is a nonprofit organization engaged in the conservation of African wild dogs which are now endangered.
This wildlife species is an endangered species found only in the African mainland. It is red-listed by the international union for the conservation of nature.
The AWDC started its conservation research in 1999. The main objective of the organization is to understand the plight of African wild dogs. With adequate technical support and funding from AWF, AWDC has implemented many projects successfully (Zambezi).
One among them is the African wild dog conservation in lower Zambezi. AWDC carried out a comprehensive threat evaluation in the park this included counting of dogs, threats caused by humans, epidemiology and genetic diversity. Researches pointed out that reduced gene flow, human causes, and small population dynamics were the main reasons for a decrease in the population of wild dogs. Based on this research, AWDC conducted awareness programs and other conservative activities like snare removals which reduced the mortality rate.
This project was developed in association with the AWF. The AWF used its expertise and resources to make this project successful and noteworthy. Moreover, this project was developed using the management strategies achieved through continuous research. The project also aimed to establish connectivity between different national parks. Under this project, the wild dog will be used as a flagship species for the formation of a protected area. This would also benefit the other species. Creation of a wildlife corridor, envisaged in this project would increase wild dog dispersal and colonization. The project also aims to include assessments in ecology, genetic as well as disease studies and human causes of endangering the species.
Other than this project, the AWDC has also developed other projects in collaboration with the AWF. Such projects have been selected by volunteers working alongside the AWF on the basis of urgency and personal experience. Each and every project is funded by the AWF. The success of each project will depend on the methods used to implement these projects effectively (AWDC projects).
There are certain organizations whose main concern is not to make a profit but to engage in some type of nonprofit making activity. Clubs, associations, wildlife conservation organizations, societies for charity, hospitals etc come under this category. Such organizations are not required to prepare the normal trading and profit and loss account and balance sheet like the normal trading concerns. In order to avoid the chances of embezzlement of funds as well misappropriating of money, they have to maintain certain books of accounts, register of members, minute books, cashbook, journal proper, etc. all the proper accounts of such organizations should be able to disclose the true receipts and payments of cash. It also has to disclose whether income is more than expenditure or vice versa. For this purpose, a receipts and payments account and an income and expenditure account is prepared. To know the financial position at the end of the year a balance sheet also has to be prepared. The AWF as well the AWDC which are nonprofit organizations should prepare these accounts for knowing their receipts and payments as well as to know their surplus or deficit in their operations. It is also important to know about the true financial positions of these organizations for that purpose a balance sheet has to be prepared. For these organizations, lots of funding and donations are there in their financial transactions. These have to be shown separately in their receipts and payments accounts. More over balances of funds should be shown in their balance sheets. The separate register should be maintained for members and the surplus should be added with the existing capital fund. If there is a deficit, it should be subtracted from the capital fund. In the closing balance sheet. One major difference with an accounting of trading concerns is that, for trading concerns, there is the capital but in the case of nonprofit organizations it is called capital fund because it is not used for making a profit (Granof).