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Images from the Hoanib River and Floodplain

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During the Covid-19 pandemic the work of conserving the desert-adapted lions and other wildlife of northwest Namibia continues. While the Lion Rangers and IRDNC Rapid Response Team Leaders continue to partner with local communities to limit human-lion conflict, Lion Ranger co-founder Dr. Flip Stander has been hard at work along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast. Below are just a few of the images and videos Flip has collected in the past weeks. Flip’s work is central to better understanding the ecology of desert-adapted lions and other carnivores in the region and his insight is critical to the work of the Lion Rangers. You can learn more about Flip’s long-term research and work with the Lion Rangers at the Desert Lion Conservation website.

Male desert-adapted lion in the Hoanib riverbed.
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Garth Owen-Smith, 1944-2020

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Garth Owen-Smtih

On 11 April, 2020, Garth Owen-Smith, co-founder of Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC), and the widely-regarded ‘father’ of Namibia conservation passed-away peacefully. Garth dedicated his life to advocating for Namibia’s wildlife and wild places. His commitment to community-based natural resource management (CBNRM), was on-display throughout a career spanning six decades, which he primarily spent in northwest Namibia. His loss is felt keenly by all who work to maintain wildlife conservation in Namibia.

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Covid-19 and Big Cats

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One of the tigers at the Bronx Zoo. Credit: National Geographic

Over the weekend, a four-year-old Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York City tested positive for Covid-19. The tiger, along with six other big cats, including three other tigers and three lions, had been displaying symptoms similar to those displayed by humans infected with Covid-19, including a dry cough. A positive test for Covid-19 was confirmed by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory.

Here is the statement released by the Wildlife Conservation Society, who runs the Bronx Zoo and also supports IRDNC’s human-wildlife conflict Rapid Response Teams. All seven big cats appear to have been infected by a zoo keeper and all are expected to recover fully.

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The Work Goes On…

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Lionesses and cubs, near the Hoanib. Photo: P. Stander.

During this time of global uncertainty, the work of the IRDNC Rapid Response Teams, the Lion Rangers, and so many of the on-the-ground conservationists in northwest Namibia continues. Poaching and human-wildlife conflict care very little for Covid-19 and it remains imperative that wildlife conservation presses-on. Thanks to the tireless efforts of IRDNC’s directors and board and their partners, Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism is examining how to keep anti-poaching and human-wildlife conflict personnel, such as the Lion Rangers and Rapid Response Teams in the field.

But now, as always, field deployment costs money. Please consider supporting this critical conservation work by visiting this site and donating. Every little bit helps. Even during this trying time, we can secure an intact future for the wildlife and communities of northwest Namibia.

The Lion Rangers and HWC Rapid Response Teams are still hard at work.

Unknown Group Along the Escarpment

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Two subadults near Appa Spring in the Etendeka Concession

Over the past week, Dr. John Heydinger and Lion Ranger Field Operations Assistant Jendery Tsaneb, have been moving on foot through the Etendeka Concession in search of previously unmarked and uncollared groups of desert-adapted lions. This area is incredibly rugged and necessitated Heydinger and Tsaneb covering more than 80 km on-foot over five days. Their efforts were not in vain as ample evidence of multiple groups of lions inhabiting the area was uncovered.

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New Partnership with National Geographic

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Lioness near the Agab. Photo: Philip Stander

We are pleased to announce that National Geographic is supporting the University of Minnesota Lion Center in a monitoring project within the Ombonde River catchment area, during 2020-2021.

With the support of National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative, Dr. John Heydinger has accepted a Postdoctoral Associate position at the University of Minnesota. For the next two years Dr. Heydinger will be working closely with the Lion Rangers, IRDNC Human-Wildlife Conflict Rapid Response Teams, AfriCat North/Namibia Lion Trust, and Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism to monitor a previously unstudied subpopulation of the desert-adapted lions. The extremely rugged landscape around the Ombonde catchment serves as the core wildlife area for the Anabeb, Ehi-rovipuka, and Omatendeka conservancies, as well as the Etendeka Concession. The project objectives are to secure demographic and movement data of lions in this area, which appears to serve as a crucial source for the subpopulation, as well as a potential corridor for human-lion conflict. The goal is to better inform scientific management and conservation interventions of this population.

Watch this space for exciting updates and information as we work with our partners to forge new ways forward in community-based natural resource management of northwest Namibia’s desert-adapted lions!

IRDNC and Lion Ranger Highlights

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The Lion Rangers and IRDNC HWC Rapid Response Teams in Anabeb Conservancy. Photo: AJ Wattamaniuk

Check out the most recent update from IRDNC about the exceptional work being done by the Lion Rangers and HWC Rapid Response teams in northwest Namibia. IRDNC has been critical to the development of the communal conservancy system in northwest Namibia and provides indispensable support to the communities there. The Lion Rangers are so lucky to have the support and guidance of all IRDNC’s staff .

No Age Limit in Conserving Natural Resources…

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Senior Lion Ranger Phineas Kasaona. Photo: NACSO/WWF

Senior Lion Ranger Phineas Kasaona was featured earlier this year in a special story published by the Namibia Association of CBNRM Support Organizations (NACSO) and WWF-Namibia. The story details how Phineas, a long-tenured Conservancy Game Guard, skilled tracker, and dedicated conservationist, continues to pursue his formal training to better serve his community and its wildlife.

We have written about Phineas’ involvement and central role in the Lion Ranger program on numerous occasions. He is a critical member of our team as well as an important and respected teacher in the field. It is so inspiring to see that he is still pursuing his own training after all these years!

Field Set-Up Along the Escarpment

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During the past week some of the Lion Rangers, led by Sr. Lion Ranger Phineas Kasaona, performed reconnaissance work within the Anabeb, Ehirovipuka, and Omatendeka conservancies along the escarpment. These highland areas have been spared some of the worst effects of drought and in certain locations, including around the Otjomonbonde and Okahavariona waterholes, game was still visible; albeit in limited numbers. Some highlights included a group of five eland spotted in the southern Omatendeka conservancy, herds of springbok near Otjihapa, some intensive foot-based lion tracking, and cool temperatures at night. Special thanks to the ladies of Otjizeka for assisting us while performing some needed vehicle repairs.

The primary purpose of the visit was logistics planning for 2020-2021. For years a subpopulation of lions has inhabited the area but without comprehensive population monitoring taking place. As was mentioned in an earlier update, the Lion Rangers, in partnership with the University of Minnesota Lion Center, are taking charge of monitoring lions in the area beginning early next year. Watch this space for exciting news about the project as well as updates from the field.

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