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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Aerial stratified sample counts have been conducted since 1995 in Etosha. The 2015 aerial count of Etosha was conducted from 4 September till 21 September. Including the latter survey, a total of eight comparable multi-species counts have been completed since 1995.
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| Etosha NP_Aerial census 2015.pdf | 1.91 MB |
Poster summarising the results of the North West Waterhole game count.
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| North West Waterhole Count 2015.pdf | 736.97 KB |
Game counts in East Zambezi (Caprivi); dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2014, population estimates and trends.
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| Zambezi Game Count_East_Zambezi 2015.pdf | 692.79 KB |
Poster summarising the results of the 2015 south game count.
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| South Game Count 2015.pdf | 504.29 KB |
An aerial survey of wildlife and domestic livestock took place in the Khaudum National Park and its neighbouring conservancies from 6 th to 14 th October 2015. A total area of 12851km2 was sampled at an average intensity of 9%. The focus of the survey was on obtaining good estimates of elephant numbers. Other species were recorded although it is likely that their numbers would be underestimated (Craig and Gibson, 2013a).
Poster summarising game count results for the north Central conservancies in 2015.
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| North Central Game Count 2015.pdf | 910.13 KB |
An aerial survey of wildlife and domestic livestock took place in Zambezi Region from 25 th September to 4 th October 2015. A total area of 17474km2 was sampled at an average intensity of 13%. The estimates of numbers of each species are tabulated below. The number of elephants estimated has decreased since the 2014 survey, although the change is notstatistically significant. However there has been a very highly significant increase in the estimated number of elephant carcasses since 2014. Other observations suggest that illegal hunting of elephants continues to take place in the…
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| Aerial survey of elephants and other wildlife in Zambezi Region_September_October 2015.pdf | 5.82 MB |
Poster summarising the results of the 2015 North West game count.
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| North West Game Count_Overall 2015.pdf | 839.26 KB |
Game counts in Bwabwata; dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2014, population estimates and trends.
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| Zambezi Game Count_Bwabwata 2015.pdf | 761.7 KB |
Poster summarising the results of the 2014 North West game count in Concession areas.
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| North West Game Count_Concessions 2015.pdf | 785.63 KB |
Game counts in Khaudum North Complex showing numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to previous years, population estimates and trends.
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| Khaudum North Complex Count 2015.pdf | 680.98 KB |
Poster summarising the results of the 2015 North West game count - Northern areas.
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| North West Game Count_North Vet Fence 2015.pdf | 677.69 KB |
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| Game counts in eastern Zambezi_Dry season_live sightings_2015.pdf | 692.79 KB |
Game counts in Bwabwata; dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2013, population estimates and trends.
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| Zambezi game counts_Bwabwata_2014.pdf | 764.6 KB |
This document provides a summary of information on the movements and locations of 9 Hartmann’s mountain zebra and 9 oryx in the Greater Sossusvlei-Namib Landscape (GSNL). Each animal was fitted with a GPS tracking device on the 22nd or 23rd of November 2013. The locations of the animals were then recorded every 5 hours. This provided over one thousand locations for each animal during the 7 months from November 2013 to the 26th of June 2014, the date chosen as a cut-off for this review.
Poster summarising the results of the 2014 North West game count.
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| NW_game_count_poster_2014.pdf | 737.28 KB |
Poster summarising the results of the 2014 Hardap game count.
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| Hardap_game_count_poster_2014.pdf | 715.51 KB |
This document provides an update of information on the movements and locations of 9 Hartmann’s mountain zebra and 9 oryx in the Greater Sossusvlei-Namib Landscape (GSNL). The report covers one year: from the last days of November 2013 when the transmitters were fitted to the end of November 2014. A previous report reviewed data collected during the first 7 months up to the 26th of June 2014. The locations of the animals were recorded every 5 hours up until late July 2014 when the recording frequency was adjusted to one signal per day recorded at approximately 06h00.
Poster summarising the results of the 2014 south game count.
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| South_game_count_poster_2014.pdf | 641.04 KB |
An aerial survey of wildlife and domestic livestock took place in Zambezi Region from 25th September to 4th October 2014. A total area of 11713 km2 was sampled at an average intensity of 14%.
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| Aerial survey of elephants and other wildlife in Zambezi Region_September_October 2014.pdf | 5.32 MB |
Game counts in Bwabwata and Zambezi (Caprivi); dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2013, population estimates and trends.
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| Zambezi_game_count_poster_2014.pdf | 770.48 KB |
The 2014 aerial survey of wildlife in Zambezi Region (formerly Caprivi Region) was conducted between 25 September and 4 October 2014. While the main emphasis was on numbers and distributions of elephants and elephant carcasses, sightings of other species were recorded as well as sightings of illegal activities and human settlements. The survey was conducted according to standard practices using stratified systematic transect sampling (Norton Griffiths, 1978) in a light aircraft (a Cessna 182) flying at a nominal height of 300 feet above the ground.
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| Report Zambezi region 2014 aerial survey.pdf | 5.32 MB |
Game counts in East Zambezi (Caprivi); dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2013, population estimates and trends.
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| Zambezi game counts_East Zambezi_2014.pdf | 676.97 KB |
Game counts in Khaudum North Complex showing numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to previous years, population estimates and trends.
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| Khaudum count poster 2014.pdf | 601.98 KB |
Poster summarising game count results for the north Central conservancies in 2014.
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| North_Central_Game_Count_Poster_2014.pdf | 876.28 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 |
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 |
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 |
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%.
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 |
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 |
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 north west game count.
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| NW_game_count_poster_2012.pdf | 738.1 KB |
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 |
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 Hardap game count.
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| Hardap_game_count_poster_2012.pdf | 494.97 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 |
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 |
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 |
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), 6 to 10 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. NW Namibia was a block-sample count flown by helicopter (with some areas of known high occupancy being total-counted).
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| Countrywide survey of elephants in Namibia_2011.pdf | 1.22 MB |
The survey took two hours 54 minutes, which translates into a search rate of 1.6 km/min. The flight path was recorded on the GPS tracklog and is shown in Figure 2 (deviations from the transects are where rhino, elephant or large herds of animals were encountered). A total of 253 sightings were recorded during this time (Figure 3) which comprised 1539 animals of seventeen species (Table 1). Kaross game camp is 144 km² in size so the density of animals calculates to 10.7 animals/km². The distribution and herd size for selected species is shown in Figure 4 to Figure 11.
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| Kaross_Aerial census 2009.pdf | 2.53 MB |
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| Lion population census in Etosha National Park_2010.pdf | 154.42 KB |
Game counts in Bwabwata and Caprivi; dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2009, population estimates and trends.
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| Caprivi game count poster 2010.doc | 380 KB |
Game counts in north-west Namibia, June 2010.
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| NW_game_count_poster_2010.pdf | 2.27 MB |
Maps showing live sightings of elephant, giraffe, kudu, roan, sable, buffalo, impala, reedbuck, tsessebe and zebra in the 2010 Caprivi game count.
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| Caprivi game count map of live sightings 2010.pdf | 423.25 KB |
This proposed study focuses on the elephants of the Kunene/Etosha cluster. The elephants outside Etosha is still largely a free ranging population over much of a 100 000 km² range. For the purpose of this proposal the study area (Figure 1) encompasses the extreme western area of Etosha, Skeleton Coast Park, communal conservancies, concessions and the private farming land south of Etosha. The average rainfall ranges from <50mm to 300mm. Recently, human-elephant conflicts have received a lot of attention in this Region.
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| The use of GPS Satellite collars to study the movement patterns of elephant in the Kunene Region.pdf | 507.3 KB |
Poster summarising the results of the 2010 game count in the South.
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| South game count poster 2010.pdf | 585.11 KB |
North West game count - map of sightings per species per 2x2km grid cell.
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| Map_Sightings by species NW 2010.pdf | 1.97 MB |