Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CONSERVATION ORGANISATIONS
Anyone with a genuine interest in a specific ecological issue should contact one or more of the following organ-
isations. These organisations do not, however, provide tourist information or offer organised tours (unless stated
otherwise).
Afri-Cat Foundation
(
www.africat.org
)
A nonprofit organisation focusing on research and the reintroduction of
large cats into the wild. There's also an on-site education centre and a specialist veterinary clinic.
BirdLife International
(
www.birdlife.org
)
BirdLife International is actively involved in conservation projects,
such as building observation posts, and organising bird-watching trips. Despite Namibia's variety of birdlife, the
organisation has no in-country affiliations.
Cheetah Conservation Fund
(CCF;
www.cheetah.org
)
A centre of research and education on cheetah popula-
tions and how they are conserved. It's possible to volunteer with this organisation.
Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation
(IRDNC;
www.irdnc.org.na
)
IRDNC aims to im-
prove the lives of rural people by diversifying their economic opportunities to include wildlife management and
other valuable natural resources. Its two main projects are in the Kunene region and the Caprivi Strip.
Save the Rhino Trust
(SRT;
www.savetherhino.org
)
SRT has worked to implement community-based conserva-
tion since the early 1980s. By 2030, it hopes that its efforts will have succeeded in re-establishing the black rhino
in Namibia in healthy breeding populations.
Hunting
As in Botswana, hunting is legal in Namibia, although it is strictly regulated and licensed.
The Ministry of the Environment and Tourism along with the Namibia Professional Hunt-
ing Association (NAPHA) regulate hunting, which accounts for 5% of the country's rev-
enue from wildlife.
The Namibian government views its hunting laws as a practical form of wildlife man-
agement and conservation. Many foreign hunters are willing to pay handsomely for big
wildlife trophies (a leopard, for example, will fetch at least US$2500, while an elephant
provides many times that amount) and farmers and ranchers frequently complain about
the ravages of wildlife on their stock. The idea is to provide farmers with financial incent-
ives to protect free-ranging wildlife. Management strategies include encouraging hunting
of older animals, evaluating the condition of trophies and setting bag limits in accordance
with population fluctuations.
In addition, quite a few private farms are set aside for hunting. The owners stock these
farms with wildlife bred by suppliers - mainly in South Africa - and turn it loose into the
farm environment. Although community-based hunting concessions have appeared in the
Bushmanland area, these still aren't widespread.
