The handover ceremony of two Toyota Land Cruisers sponsored to the Desert Lion Conservation Trust and Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) by NAMSOV Community Trust took place on 27 January 2014.
The Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta attended the event along with the managing director of Bidfish, Mr Jan Arnold, Chief Executice Officer of SRT Ms Marcia Fargnoli and Ms Tuna Willem and Jerome Mouton from NAMSOV.
According to Ms Wil-lem of NAMSOV, the branding of the research vehicle was attended to and most of the sponsors have been accommodated. “Printworx in Swakopmund are thanked for their assistance. The full sponsorship for the vehicle, training of guards from the community and collars are N$1 200 000,” she said.
According to information provided, humanlion conflicts are arguably the biggest threat to lions in Namibia and elsewhere in Africa. There is a need for proactive management of human-lion conflict to ensure the long term conservation of the species. In 1998 an intensive research project was started on the desert lions, termed the Desert Lion Conservation project with the aim to collect sound scientific data, address human lion conflicts and to develop a conservation strategy.
“Lions are fitted with radio collars and are tracked and observed to record behaviour, movements, grouping patterns, reproduction and mortality. Lions are tracked using GPS and satellite techno-logy, a light aircraft (fitted with radio-tracking equipment) and by vehicle. Direct observations and monitoring lions in the field for extended periods are the primary means of collecting data. Lions over the age of two years are marked or radio col-lared, and individual records are kept of all lions in the population. Emphasis is placed on monitoring lions that disperse and occupy new habitats and on those that live near local communities.”
“Human-lion conflict is addressed by deve-loping localised conflict management plans. As a species, the lion is highly adaptive and resilient. Current research findings demonstrate that Desert lions can survive in extreme conditions. They do not need to drink water and feed on gemsboks, ostriches, and occasionally on seals.
They breed rapidly under ideal conditions and are quick to expand into areas of suitable habitat. The value of the unique Desert lions to the Namibian tourism industry is of great significance. However, to ensure the long-term conservation of Desert lions, we need to monitor their population ecology and manage human-lion conflict.”
“The Desert Lion is a prominent feature in Namibia and is highly valued, both aesthetically and financially by the growing tourism industry. Namibia has received international recognition (e.g. CITES) for successful conservation efforts such as the communal conservation program-me that led to significant increases in wild-life numbers especially in the arid areas.”
“With the growing wildlife populations the conflict between lions and the local people has intensified as lions are killing livestock more regularly. In protection of their livestock farmers often shoot, trap or poison lions. These local communities bear the costs of living with lions but do not share equally in the benefits from tourism and they receive little assistance in managing conflicts.
The goals are to collect baseline ecological data on the population dynamics, behaviour and movement of lions, monitor key ecological and biological para-meters of the desert lion population, monitor the frequency and impact of conflicts between people and lions, develop and implement human-lion management plans at local community level, develop and promote specialised lion eco-safaris and other forms of sustainable utilisation, to collaborate with government, local communities and NGO`s to further lion conservation and to make important information available to the world through publication and the internet.”
Mrs Fargnoli from SRT said “we are extremely grateful for the donations. The desert-adapted black rhino (Diceros bicornis bicornis) surviving in the Kunene Region (former Damaraland and Kaokoland) in the arid, north-west of Namibia are the only rhino worldwide, surviving on communal land with no formal conservation status. Furthermore, they are the largest truly free-ranging black rhino population left in the world.
However, in the early 1980's in this vast, beautiful and spectacular desert, a savage slaughter of desert wildlife took place. As the number of rhinos shrank, resulting in their near extinction, a Trust was formed with the aim of ensuring protection of the remaining rhinos while affording elephant and other wildlife the chance to recover to sustainable numbers.
With the help of international funds, Save the Rhino Trust - Namibia was officially registered as Welfare Organization number W.O. 53.in 1982.” “Initially, a combination of ex-poachers and members of the local community were employed by Save the Rhino Trust to monitor and protect the rhino.
These men had extensive knowledge of the habits of these animals and the rugged terrain they inhabited. The aim of preventing the extermination of the endangered black rhino on communal land has been enthusiastically supported by chiefs, headmen and the local communities.
Since the Trust was formed, there has been close collaboration with Government, the local communities, and both national and international partners. This coalition has been central in achieving the aim of enhancing security for the rhino, monitoring and researching the rhino population, and providing benefits to the community through conservation and tourism.”
“SRT has an administrative office in Swa-kopmund and field bases at the Ugab River, Wêreldsend, Mai Go Ha (Palmwag) and Mbakondja. The organisation consists of a committed staff of local Namibians who have spent the better part of their lives living with black rhinos in the Kunene. These dedicated people constantly monitor on foot, with camels, by air and by vehicle in a concerted effort to protect these rare and critically endangered animals,” she concluded.
The Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta attended the event along with the managing director of Bidfish, Mr Jan Arnold, Chief Executice Officer of SRT Ms Marcia Fargnoli and Ms Tuna Willem and Jerome Mouton from NAMSOV.
According to Ms Wil-lem of NAMSOV, the branding of the research vehicle was attended to and most of the sponsors have been accommodated. “Printworx in Swakopmund are thanked for their assistance. The full sponsorship for the vehicle, training of guards from the community and collars are N$1 200 000,” she said.
According to information provided, humanlion conflicts are arguably the biggest threat to lions in Namibia and elsewhere in Africa. There is a need for proactive management of human-lion conflict to ensure the long term conservation of the species. In 1998 an intensive research project was started on the desert lions, termed the Desert Lion Conservation project with the aim to collect sound scientific data, address human lion conflicts and to develop a conservation strategy.
“Lions are fitted with radio collars and are tracked and observed to record behaviour, movements, grouping patterns, reproduction and mortality. Lions are tracked using GPS and satellite techno-logy, a light aircraft (fitted with radio-tracking equipment) and by vehicle. Direct observations and monitoring lions in the field for extended periods are the primary means of collecting data. Lions over the age of two years are marked or radio col-lared, and individual records are kept of all lions in the population. Emphasis is placed on monitoring lions that disperse and occupy new habitats and on those that live near local communities.”
“Human-lion conflict is addressed by deve-loping localised conflict management plans. As a species, the lion is highly adaptive and resilient. Current research findings demonstrate that Desert lions can survive in extreme conditions. They do not need to drink water and feed on gemsboks, ostriches, and occasionally on seals.
They breed rapidly under ideal conditions and are quick to expand into areas of suitable habitat. The value of the unique Desert lions to the Namibian tourism industry is of great significance. However, to ensure the long-term conservation of Desert lions, we need to monitor their population ecology and manage human-lion conflict.”
“The Desert Lion is a prominent feature in Namibia and is highly valued, both aesthetically and financially by the growing tourism industry. Namibia has received international recognition (e.g. CITES) for successful conservation efforts such as the communal conservation program-me that led to significant increases in wild-life numbers especially in the arid areas.”
“With the growing wildlife populations the conflict between lions and the local people has intensified as lions are killing livestock more regularly. In protection of their livestock farmers often shoot, trap or poison lions. These local communities bear the costs of living with lions but do not share equally in the benefits from tourism and they receive little assistance in managing conflicts.
The goals are to collect baseline ecological data on the population dynamics, behaviour and movement of lions, monitor key ecological and biological para-meters of the desert lion population, monitor the frequency and impact of conflicts between people and lions, develop and implement human-lion management plans at local community level, develop and promote specialised lion eco-safaris and other forms of sustainable utilisation, to collaborate with government, local communities and NGO`s to further lion conservation and to make important information available to the world through publication and the internet.”
Mrs Fargnoli from SRT said “we are extremely grateful for the donations. The desert-adapted black rhino (Diceros bicornis bicornis) surviving in the Kunene Region (former Damaraland and Kaokoland) in the arid, north-west of Namibia are the only rhino worldwide, surviving on communal land with no formal conservation status. Furthermore, they are the largest truly free-ranging black rhino population left in the world.
However, in the early 1980's in this vast, beautiful and spectacular desert, a savage slaughter of desert wildlife took place. As the number of rhinos shrank, resulting in their near extinction, a Trust was formed with the aim of ensuring protection of the remaining rhinos while affording elephant and other wildlife the chance to recover to sustainable numbers.
With the help of international funds, Save the Rhino Trust - Namibia was officially registered as Welfare Organization number W.O. 53.in 1982.” “Initially, a combination of ex-poachers and members of the local community were employed by Save the Rhino Trust to monitor and protect the rhino.
These men had extensive knowledge of the habits of these animals and the rugged terrain they inhabited. The aim of preventing the extermination of the endangered black rhino on communal land has been enthusiastically supported by chiefs, headmen and the local communities.
Since the Trust was formed, there has been close collaboration with Government, the local communities, and both national and international partners. This coalition has been central in achieving the aim of enhancing security for the rhino, monitoring and researching the rhino population, and providing benefits to the community through conservation and tourism.”
“SRT has an administrative office in Swa-kopmund and field bases at the Ugab River, Wêreldsend, Mai Go Ha (Palmwag) and Mbakondja. The organisation consists of a committed staff of local Namibians who have spent the better part of their lives living with black rhinos in the Kunene. These dedicated people constantly monitor on foot, with camels, by air and by vehicle in a concerted effort to protect these rare and critically endangered animals,” she concluded.
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