Each May the Lion Rangers program assists area conservancies and Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) with the annual Northwest Game Count. As part of monitoring wildlife numbers within government-controlled lands, the game count is important for quota setting, to ensure conservancies continue to benefit from wildlife stewardship. The Northwest Game Count is also the longest-running and largest road-based game count in the world. This year, the Lion Rangers partnered with MEFT to assist with the game count while also performing lion collaring operations within Etosha National Park, Hobatere, Etendeka, and Palmwag Concessions, and Omatendeka Conservancy.

The end of the rainy season is an important time for the Lion Rangers: this is when prey are highly-mobile, often leading lions to move into new areas as well. This mobility can bring lions and communal area farmers into contact and potentially conflict with one another. In addition to assisting conservancies in monitoring their wildlife, participation in the Northwest Game Count enables Rangers to visit areas which receive little attention throughout the rest of the year, to check on veld condition and re-connect with area farmers.

As part of the operation, the Lion Rangers research team worked with MEFT Game Capture to collar lions and change existing lion collars to help limit human-lion conflict. In total, six lions were collared, including two males in Etosha (EPL-9 and EPL-10), two males and one female in Hobatere (OPL-31, OPL-32, and OPL-33), and two males in Omatendeka (NPL-36 and NPL-37).

A further five lions had existing collars replaced, including one male in Hobatere (OPL-20), one female in Etendeka (OPL-18), one female and one male in Omatendeka (NPL-34 and NPL-35) and one female in Palmwag Concession (XPL-106). Each immobilization was safely performed by MEFT vet Dr. Sandra Shikumba and each animal recovered easily. Subsequent movements and monitoring by the Lion Rangers and MEFT personnel indicate all lions are doing well.

The Lion Rangers program thanks all partnering conservancies for helping facilitate the Northwest Game Count and to MEFT for continuing to prioritize northwest lion conservation. Thanks also to University of Georgia researcher Brennan PetersonWood for his expertise and assistance.

All photos: Brennan PetersonWood