This archive of reports of wildlife surveys in Namibia aims to:
Public access to information is a vital component of ensuring community engagement in prevalent issues. Wildlife surveys are critical to determine the health of wildlife populations and determine trends over time to guide conservation and management actions.
Wildlife surveys are done for different species using methods that are suited to counting them (e.g. by air or road) in their natural habitats. Such surveys need to be repeated over time to detect long-term trends and inform conservation managers. The Namibian government, non-governmental organisations and private reserves all conduct regular surveys covering different parts of Namibia and targeting different species. This archive will thus serve as a repository of our collective knowledge of the trends and status of a variety of species occurring throughout Namibia.
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Zambezi Game Count_East 2020.pdf | 937.73 KB |
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Nyae Nyae waterhole 2020.pdf | 946.21 KB |
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Southern Conservancy Game Count 2020.pdf | 818.01 KB |
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Nyae Nyae transect count 2020 final.pdf | 1.2 MB |
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North Central Game Count 2020.pdf | 1.06 MB |
Counts were undertaken at waterholes in the escarpment zone of north west Namibia. In 2018,18 waterholes in 7 conservancies were counted while in 2019 and 2020, the number of waterholes was increased to 26 covering 10 conservancies. Counts were undertaken over a period of 2, 3 or 4 days during which time all animals seen were counted.
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Waterholes_NW_poster_2020 final.pdf | 509.47 KB |
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North West Game Count_Hobatere 2020.pdf | 623.55 KB |
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North West Game Count_Palmwag and Etendeka 2020.pdf | 682.97 KB |
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North West Game Count_South of Vet Fence 2020.pdf | 689.61 KB |
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North West Game Count_North of Vet Fence 2020.pdf | 679.95 KB |
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North West Game Count_Regional 2020.pdf | 693.43 KB |
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Hardap and Naute Game Count 2020.pdf | 774.7 KB |
Robust abundance estimates of wild animal populations are needed to inform management policies and are often obtained through mark–recapture (MR) studies. Visual methods are commonly used, which limits data collection to daylight hours and good weather conditions. Passive acoustic monitoring offers an alternative, particularly if acoustic cues are naturally produced and individually distinctive. Here we investigate the potential of using individually distinctive signature whistles in a MR framework and evaluate different components of study design.
Knowledge of a population’s abundance is of primary importance for conservation management. However, robust estimates of abundance are often difficult to obtain, especially for cetaceans which spend most of their lives submerged. Cetacean abundance is commonly estimated using aerial or vessel-based line transect surveys and distance sampling methods. During 2012–2014, the first line transect surveys to estimate cetacean abundance were conducted in Namibian waters.
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First Abundance Estimates of Heavisides and Dusky Dolphin off Namibia.pdf | 5.23 MB |
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Zambezi Game Count_Bwabwata 2020.pdf | 1.22 MB |
The year’s results show a significant decrease in animals counted (-37%) and overall population estimate (-19%). The game harvesting operations done in the preceding year would have contributed to the lower game numbers. The northern sections of the park (zone 6, 7, 8 and 9) received the most rain and thus an overwhelming majority (53%) of the animals were counted in this area. For the first time in 8 years the park’s modelled carrying capacity is higher than the total grazer biomass (stocking rate).
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Gondwana Canyon Park Game Count 2020_poster.pdf | 1.7 MB |
This year's game count results showed the drastic decrease in game numbers, with gemsbok numbers being down 86% compared to 2019 and plains zebra and wildebeest down 93% and 97% respectively. Red hartebeest have all disappeared from the park as most of them died, a few were harvested, and a few got onto neighbouring properties. Only giraffe managed to increase, as 4 more calves were born over the last year, bringing the total to 22. Naturally, successful reproduction in the other game species over the past season has been very low.
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Gondwana Kalahari Park Game Count 2020.pdf | 965.72 KB |
The rapid improvement of camera traps in recent decades has revolutionized biodiversity monitoring. Despite clear applications in conservation biology, camera traps have seldom been used to model the abundance of unmarked animal populations. The goals of this review are to summarize the challenges facing abundance estimation of unmarked animals, present an overview of existing analytical frameworks, and provide guidance for practitioners seeking a suitable method.
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Abundance estimation of unmarked animals based on camera_trap data.pdf | 1.35 MB |
Estimating abundance of wildlife populations can be challenging and costly, especially for species that are difficult to detect and that live at low densities, such as cougars (Puma concolor). Remote, motion‐sensitive cameras are a relatively efficient monitoring tool, but most abundance estimation techniques using remote cameras rely on some or all of the population being uniquely identifiable. Recently developed methods estimate abundance from encounter rates with remote cameras and do not require identifiable individuals.
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Estimating abundance of an unmarked_low_density species using cameras.pdf | 590.21 KB |
Leopards are among the most enchanting big cats in the world. Their beauty, raw power and elusiveness have fascinated humans through the ages. Our fascination with leopards is a double-edged sword for the big cat, however. The value we place on seeing this beautiful big cat draws tourists and provides funding for conservation.
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Counting Cats_An updated national leopard survey for Namibia.pdf | 2.58 MB |
An overview of elephant conservation and management in Namibia.
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An overview of elephant conservation and management in Namibia.pdf | 5.72 MB |
The winter wetland bird counts were conducted during July and August 2011 at 32 sites throughout Namibia. The abnormal rainy season experienced in most parts of the country had resulted in plenty of water still being in the field and this was evident in the counts. Lower numbers than usual were recorded at most sites and the Walvis Bay count was the lowest since regular counts were started. The low numbers are due to an almost complete absence of flamingos, lower than usual numbers of geese and ducks and the absence of certain waders e.g.
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Report on the Winter 2011 Wetland Bird Counts in Namibia.pdf | 637.69 KB |
The sixth article in the series on trends in Namibian waterbird populations summarises count data for African Spoonbill, Hamerkop, Greater and Lesser Flamingo and Wattled Crane for the period 1977 to December 2008. For each species the Red Data Book (RDB) status, both global and Namibian, is given, the population trend as per Wetlands International, the number of times the species was counted, the number of times it has passed the 1% population criterion, the maximum count and the sites where it has passed the 1% population criterion.
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Trends in Namibian Waterbird Populations 6_Spoonbill_Hamerkop_Flamingos and Cranes.pdf | 515.94 KB |
This article continues the series on trends in Namibian waterbird populations and summarizes count data for ducks and geese for the period 1977 to December 2008. For each species the Red Data Book (RDB) status, both global and Namibian, is given, the population trend as per Wetlands International, the number of times the species was counted, the number of times it has passed the 1% population criterion, the maximum count and the sites where it has passed the 1% population criterion.
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Trends in Namibian Waterbird Populations 7_Ducks and Geese_1.pdf | 833.84 KB |
This article continues the series on trends in Namibian waterbird populations and summarizes count data for ducks and geese for the period 1977 to December 2008. For each species the Red Data Book (RDB) status, both global and Namibian, is given, the population trend as per Wetlands International, the number of times the species was counted, the number of times it has passed the 1% population criterion, the maximum count and the sites where it has passed the 1% population criterion.
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Trends in Namibian Waterbird Populations 7_ Ducks and Geese.pdf | 391.65 KB |
Wetland bird counts were once again conducted throughout Namibia during the months of January and February 2012. A total of 33 sites were covered resulting in 262 833 birds of 112 species. For the first time since 2007 counts were also conducted in the Caprivi, on the Okavango and the Kwando Rivers. The effects of the good rainy seasons over the past few years are still very evident with low numbers of especially flamingos and ducks recorded at the coast.
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Summary of the 2012 Summer Wetland Bird Counts in Namibia.pdf | 169.7 KB |
The eighth article in the series on trends in Namibian waterbird populations summarizes count data for six species for the period 1977 to December 2008. For each species the Red Data Book (RDB) status, both global and Namibian, is given, the population trend as per Wetlands International, the number of times the species was counted, the number of times it has passed the 1% population criterion, the maximum count and the sites where it has passed the 1% population criterion.
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Trends in Namibian Waterbird Populations_Rails_Gallinules_Coot and Jacana.pdf | 552.14 KB |
Poster summarising the results of the 2012 south game count.
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South_game_count_poster_2012.pdf | 252.2 KB |
Poster summarising the results of the 2012 north west game count.
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NW_game_count_poster_2012.pdf | 738.1 KB |
Poster summarising the results of the 2012 north central game count.
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NC_Game count poster 2012.pdf | 1.07 MB |
Poster summarising the results of the 2012 Hardap game count.
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Hardap_game_count_poster_2012.pdf | 494.97 KB |
Game counts in communal conservancies in Caprivi; dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2011, population estimates and trends.
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Caprivi game count conservancies only.pdf | 207.91 KB |
Game counts in Bwabwata and Caprivi; dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2011, population estimates and trends.
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Caprivi game count poster 2012.pdf | 230.33 KB |
In 2011, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism conducted a questionnaire to various stakeholders to determine relative abundance of large carnivores throughout Namibia. The results of this questionnaire were quantified and mapped to establish the current range and relative abundance of the six Namibian large carnivores. Recent population estimates for leopards are used here, however, the remaining species we used estimates from the previous Atlas as our best estimates to date.
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Namibia Large Carnivore Atlas_2012.pdf | 3.87 MB |
Conducting aerial surveys is one of the core functions of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. The surveys are essential management tools, allowing for informed decision making. Aerial surveys have been conducted in Etosha National Park since 1968. Apart from a series of elephant surveys, these surveys were strictly speaking not comparable as they were undertaken at irregular intervals with different sampling intensities and area cover. The first comprehensive multi-species sample count was conducted in 1995, and repeated in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2010.
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2012 Etosha NP_Aerial census 2012.pdf | 656.25 KB |
Springbok numbers were down during 2012 due to dispersal into broken hilly country to the west of the park. Where they were present, they were only found in small groups which could have resulted in under counting.
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Gondwana Canon Park game count 2012.pdf | 680.93 KB |
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Gondwana Kalahari Park game count 2012.pdf | 950.46 KB |
This report provides feedback and results of the annual game count held on NamibRand Nature Reserve and the Pro-Namib Conservancy on 2 June 2012 - for the eighth consecutive year since the counts were initiated in 2005. As usual, this event was combined with the Reserve’s annual general meeting, which makes it an ideal opportunity to hold a game count with community participation. In June 2009 a new area was added to the existing eight zones (Zone 9), in order to incorporate the Pro-Namib Conservancy.
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NRNR game count June 2012.pdf | 1.34 MB |
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NRNR species list mammals.pdf | 57.29 KB |
The objective of this survey was to obtain a national estimate for elephants in Namibia. Fieldwork took place between 29 July and 11 August 2011 (Etosha and Tsumkwe), 9 to 11 September 2011 (Caprivi) and 19 to 25 November 2011 (Northwest Namibia). Areas covered are shown in Figs 1-3. The survey was a sample count at a variety of sampling intensities, depending on assumed elephant densities, in order to obtain a reasonably precise estimate with minimal effort.
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Countrywide survey of elephants in Namibia_2011.zip | 4.61 MB |
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Brown CJ 1985 Vulture News 14_4_15.pdf | 386.16 KB |
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Etosha NP_Aerial census 1984 12 LA.PDF | 2.73 MB |
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Department Agriculture and Nature Conservation 1985.pdf | 10.14 MB |
Farmers who complained about damage caused by protected game, were assisted as far as possible. Three giraffes and two elephants had to be shot and many elephants were driven from farms.
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SWA Administration_1969.pdf | 346.05 KB |