The AfriCat story started in 1970, when the Hanssen family settled on the farm Okonjima in central Namibia. Brahman cattle were raised on the land but annual losses of calves to predators, particularly leopards, amounted to between 20 and 30 per year, decimating the herd and resulting in huge financial losses. As with many farmers at that time, the Hanssens took the path of trapping, shooting, and hunting leopards in an attempt to minimise their losses. However, these losses continued at the same rate as before. Other measures were employed and calf-holding pens were built at watering holes where cows could give birth safely. The calves remained in protective custody until they were approximately 4 months old with their mothers coming in at regular intervals to feed them. Using this simple livestock protection method reduced losses to about 3 or 4 per year.