The efforts to conserve wildlife in Namibia prove to be a success and if it keeps up the pace, wildlife can be provided to the communities.
During the translocation of the black rhinos to conservancies, that started last week, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism said this would become an annual event.
The mission with the translocation is to increase the wildlife numbers and then to restock the conservancies. This operation was done on a professional manner and it was thoroughly planned. Because rhinos are strong animals, no changes were taken and they were treated with care.
Crates were specially designed to transport the rhinos. They were first transported in a sling by helicopter from the mountains to the roadside. From there they were transported on a truck to the conservancy.
Shangula now calls on the community that is living with wildlife, to also take responsibility in protecting the rhinos against poachers.
The Government and Millennium Challenge Account have supported this project by helping the ministry with the translocation. The Millennium Challenge Account also assisted to reduce poverty by supporting conservancies to diversify income through wildlife-based and other tourism enterprises.
The conservancies receive the wildlife free of charge from the ministry, on condition that the area is suitable. Deputy Minister, Uahekua Herunga, said that he is grateful for the Government’s support.
He added that the people in the rural areas should also benefit from wildlife in their areas. By placing wildlife in conservancies the changes of the community benefitting from tourism, increases. Shangula also said that this would in turn create opportunities for cultural tourism.
Poaching is a big problem and an even bigger disadvantage, to the community and the country and therefore the aim is to create a love between humans and wildlife.
