During late November to early December, the Lion Rangers, in partnership with Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), completed an intensive re-collaring campaign of lions in Hobatere and Etendeka concessions, as well as the Omatendeka and Ehi-rovipuka conservancies in northwest Namibia. Through support from the Community Conservation Fund of Namibia, our team was able to successfully deploy 13 satellite/GPS collars across 5 prides of desert-adapted lions.
Maintaining active GPS/satellite collars on the desert-adapted lions is part of our directive from MEFT, who supports the Lion Rangers Program and has committed considerable resources to ensuring the proactive conservation of the lion population. Over the 21-day operation our team first recollared the males OPL-33 and OPL-36 of the Hobatere Breakaway pride, and adjusted the fitting of another collar previously deployed to a subadult male who was in a high conflict area. These lions are being monitored by the Ehi-rovipuka, Omatendeka, and Orupupa Lion Rangers across the Ombonde landscape under the leadership of our Eastern Patrol Leader Ndjitjiuee Karizemi.
Moving to Etendeka Concession, we re-collared the adult females OPL-16 and OP-30 of the Etendeka pride, one of whom recently (September 2025) gave birth to three cubs. These lions are now continuing to be monitored by the Lion Rangers of Anabeb Conservancy.
From there the work continued with re-collaring the lioness OPL-4 and adding a new collar to the subadult male OPL-44, both of the Okavariona pride. We also replaced a dead collar on the adult male NPL-37 of the Southern Anabeb pride, and finally, replaced a dead collar on the adult female XPL-138 and added a collar to the subadult male OPL-47, both of the Mbakondja pride. Each of these three prides have been moving between Omatendeka and Anabeb conservancies in recent months. These lions are being monitored by joint teams, under the leadership of our Rapid Response Leader Uakumba Kapiringi and Western Patrol Leader Julichen Karutjaiva.
The work concluded with a re-collaring of the lioness NPL-38, along with collaring her two subadults, the female now known as OPL-45 and the male now known as OPL-46 of the Omirembue pride. This group had killed giraffe earlier in the day near a waterhole, which provided a powerful incentive for the pride to remain in the area, easing the collaring operation. The Omirembue pride, which occupies a conflict area is being monitored by the Lion Rangers based at our Ombonde Research and Monitoring Camp.
This extended operation was a true collaborative effort between the Lion Rangers and MEFT. Thanks in particular go to MEFT Veterinarians Drs. Sandra Shikomba and Mary L. Sibalatani for assisting with immobilization, to MEFT Game Capture leader Niklaas (Boly) Shetukana, and Regional Services Ranger Amon Uararavi for their consummate professionalism and dedication to ensuring the continued sustainable conservation of the desert-adapted lions.
