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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The coastal population of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus found in Namibia is regionally isolated and unique. This population faces several potential anthropogenic threats, especially in Walvis Bay, including boat-based tourism, a commercial harbour undergoing expansion, and aquaculture for oysters and mussels. Between 2008 and 2012, 238 boat-based surveys were conducted, resulting in 170 encounters with bottlenose dolphins. Overall, group sizes varied from 1 to 45 individuals (mean 10.7).
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Tursiops truncatus in Walvis Bay.pdf | 2.67 MB |
We counted waterbirds along a fixed route in the panhandle of the Okavango River in Mahango Game Reserve in the dry season during two seven-year periods (1991–1997 and 2000–2006). Palearctic migrants represented by 11 species in 1991–1997 and nine species in 2000–2006 together composed only a small percentage of all birds recorded in both periods. The two most numerous foraging guilds were birds foraging in shallow water and those foraging in deep water. The former guild was more numerous in 2000–2006, while the latter guild was more numerous in 1991–1997.
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Waterbirds in the panhandle of the Okavango Delta_2019.pdf | 3.73 MB |
The African Leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) is one of Africa's most distinguishable big cats. As the leopard has such a broad geographical range combined with its cryptic activities there is a limited amount of empirical evidence that exists which in turn can be applied to adaptive management strategies, through practical conservation methods and monitoring across Namibia and Southern Africa.
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The Namibian leopard_National census and sustainable hunting practices.pdf | 4.25 MB |
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Summary of the 2018 winter wetland bird counts in Namibia.pdf | 360.78 KB |
From 2016 onwards Bamunu (2) was included in counts. In 2018 the two Protected Areas Mudumu (7) and Nkasa Ruparo (8) were not included in counts. It is important to bear this in mind when interpreting tables, charts and a time series of posters.
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Zambezi Game Count_East 2019.pdf | 544.93 KB |
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Zambezi Game Count_Bwabwata 2019.pdf | 748.18 KB |
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Southern Conservancy Game Count 2019.pdf | 761 KB |
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North Central Game Count 2019 final.pdf | 875.06 KB |
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Kavango East poster 2019 Final.pdf | 767.43 KB |
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Hardap Game Count 2019 final.pdf | 693.66 KB |
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North West Game Count_Hobatere 2019.pdf | 581.69 KB |
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North West Game Count_North of Vet Fence 2019.pdf | 599.7 KB |
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North West Game Count-South of Vet Fence 2019.pdf | 604.11 KB |
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Nyae Nyae transect count 2019.pdf | 705.14 KB |
An aerial survey of wildlife and domestic livestock took place in the Khaudum National Park and its neighbouring areas from 18th to 23th September 2019 as part of a wider survey including Zambezi Region. A total area of 14029 km2 was sampled at intensities from 5% to 20%. The estimated numbers of numbers of each species are given in the table below. The increase in estimated numbers of elephants since 2013 has been greater than expected from natural reproduction, but the overall trend from 1998 shows an average rate of increase of 4.4% per annum.
An aerial survey of wildlife and domestic livestock took place in Zambezi Region from 25 th September to 4 th October 2019 as part of a wider survey including Khaudum National Park and its neighbouring conservancies. A total area of 17 380km2 was sampled at intensities between 10 and 40%. The estimates of numbers of each species are tabulated below. The estimated number of elephants is lower than that from the 2015 survey, but the change is not statistically significant. There were considerably fewer elephant carcasses seen in 2019.
Knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of cetaceans is particularly important for conservation and management, but is still limited within Namibian waters. We collated 3211 cetacean records from the Namibian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for the period 2008 to 2016 and applied the principle of minimum cross entropy (MinxEnt) to predict habitat suitability. MinxEnt is a generalised form of maximum entropy modelling that allows incorporation of additional information such as sampling bias.
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Predicting large_scale habitat suitability for cetaceans off Namibia using MinxEnt.pdf | 2.91 MB |
The waterhole fool-moon game count survey was conducted during the hottest period of the year (October) for a duration of 72 hours (3 days and 3 nights), which ensured that wildlife in the park is solely dependent on artificial water points. The survey was conducted at all the 13 water points (11 artificial and 2 fountains), with each water point having a team of eight people, working in shifts. The counting commenced on 12 October 2019, a day before the full moon and finished on 15 October 2019, a day after the full moon.
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Khaudum National Parks full moon waterhole game count_October 2019.pdf | 1.06 MB |
Recently introduced unmarked spatial capture–recapture (SCR), spatial mark–resight (SMR), and 2-flank spatial partial identity models (SPIMs) extend the domain of SCR to populations or observation systems that do not always allow for individual identity to be determined with certainty. For example, some species do not have natural marks that can reliably produce individual identities from photographs, and some methods of observation produce partial identity samples as is the case with remote cameras that sometimes produce single-flank photographs.
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SCR for categorically marked populations with an application to genetic capture_recapture.pdf | 2.75 MB |
The 2019 aerial survey of wildlife in Khaudum National Park and Neighbouring Areas, Namibia, was commissioned by KfW on behalf of the Directorate of Scientific Services, Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET), Government of Namibia as part of the survey of elephants in north-eastern Namibia.
If you have had the privilege of spending plenty of time watching wildlife in Africa's wilderness areas, it is likely that you have spotted an animal wearing a collar. In the context of a safari in the wilderness the presence of a clunky leather collar around the neck of a majestic lion or elephant may seem out of place and even jarring, as it reminds us that man's impact on the environment extends right into the lives of individual animals. This may leave you wondering: why are collars necessary? What benefit do the animals get from humans catching and collaring them?
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Gaining insights into the secret lives of wild animals.pdf | 7.83 MB |
Take a close look at the image above. Each black dot is a Cape Cormorant (see below) as seen from a light aircraft. Can you count the cormorants? This aerial view of a colony of Cape Cormorants is a composite of several of the thousands of images taken during a 2017 survey of Ilha dos Tigres, an island off the coast of Angola. The purpose of this survey was to document all visible animals using this island, so every dot counts!
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Angolan island paradise for Cape Cormorants.pdf | 2.75 MB |
The Greater Sossusvlei-Namib Landscape (GSNL; Figure 1) promotes collaborative management between the owners and custodians of land, both private and public, for the purpose of improved ecosystem and biodiversity management and socio-economic development (Anon. 2013).
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Project proposal on a study of movement patterns and land use.pdf | 1.43 MB |
Poster summarising the results of the 2013 south game count.
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South_game_count_poster_2013.pdf | 476.3 KB |
Poster summarising the results of the 2013 North West game count.
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NW_game_count_poster_2013.pdf | 2.2 MB |
Poster summarising the results of the 2013 Hardap game count.
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Hardap_game_count_poster_2013.pdf | 630.9 KB |
Game counts in Bwabwata and Caprivi; dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2012, population estimates and trends.
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Caprivi_game_count_poster_2013.pdf | 717.55 KB |
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Summary of the 2013 Summer Wetland Bird Counts in Namibia.pdf | 245.98 KB |
The Okavango River system, about 480 kms of which constitutes the border between Namibia and Angola, has previously been largely neglected in the annual wetland water-bird counts programme conducted throughout Namibia. The exceptions have been the Mahango Game Reserve and a section of the river at Shamvura Camp where voluntary wetland water-bird counts have however been conducted over a consecutive period of 15 years and 11 years respectively. The remainder of the river had been left uncounted until 2012.
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KOAR Winter July Wetland Water_bird Counts Okavango River 2012.pdf | 259.43 KB |
The following is a summary of waterbird count data for selected species in Namibia, covering the period 1977 to December 2008.
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Trends in Namibian Waterbird Populations 9 Part 1.pdf | 592.85 KB |
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Summary of the 2012 winter wetland bird counts in Namibia.pdf | 142.5 KB |
An aerial survey of wildlife and domestic livestock took place in the Caprivi from 29 May to 8 June 2013. A total area of 16733 km2 was sampled at an average intensity of 12.7%. The estimates of numbers of each species (with their 95% confidence range) are given in the table below. The population of elephants has increased at an average rate of between 1.4% and 8.3%.per annum. However, the ratio of carcasses to live elephants indicates a possibly unsustainable number of animals being killed in much of the Caprivi.
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Aerial survey of elephants and other wildlife in the Caprivi May_June 2013.pdf | 3.73 MB |
An aerial survey of wildlife and domestic livestock took place in the Khaudum National Park and surrounding conservancies from 17th to the 22nd September 2013. A total area of 15200 km2 was sampled at an average intensity of 7.1%.
Mountain Zebra numbers were up in 2013 due to movement into the park from the west to take advantage of the artificial waters and better grazing.
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Gondwana Canon Park game count 2013.pdf | 954.13 KB |
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Gondwana Kalahari Park game count 2013.pdf | 1009.24 KB |
This report provides summarised results and analysis of the annual game count held on the NamibRand Nature Reserve and Pro-Namib Conservancy on the 1st of June 2013- for the ninth consecutive year since the count was initiated in 2005. This was also the second year running that the farms Springbokvlakte and Saffier were included in the count since they joined to the reserve in 2012. Teamwork was once again the essence of the day as all concessionaires, landowners, neighbours and NRNR staff joined in to participate in the event.
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Game count report 2013_Namib Rand.pdf | 1.29 MB |
An aerial survey specifically aimed at mountain zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae) was carried out by the survey unit of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism from 19 to 24 June 2013. The survey covered the Naukluft Mountains in the Namib-Naukluft Park and a large area of the Khomas Hochland west of Windhoek, between the Swakop River in the north and the Naukluft Mountains in the south (Figure 1). The survey was carried out using a Bell Jet Ranger 206 helicopter (V5-HIR) with a crew of four using standard aerial survey methodology.
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Report on a mountain zebra aerial survey in the Naukluft and Khomas Hochland_19 to 24 June 2013.pdf | 577.25 KB |