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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.

The work of this consultancy continues an overview of elephant populations that were recently surveyed in the Zambezi Region (Caprivi), Khaudum National Park and Nyae Nyae. That survey was a response to the escalating killing of elephants across the African elephant range (CITES 2012)1 including southern Africa. This illegal activity is being driven, both internally within Africa and externally by an illegal wildlife trade. Such trade has become highly criminalized involving corrupt politicians, private sector syndicates and inept &/or corrupt bureaucrats.

Poster summarising the results of the 2015 North West game count.

Poster summarising the results of the 2014 North West game count in Concession areas.

Poster summarising the results of the 2015 North West game count - Northern areas.

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.

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.

Game counts in East Zambezi (Caprivi); dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2013, population estimates and trends.

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%.

Game counts in Khaudum North Complex showing numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to previous years, population estimates and trends.

Poster summarising game count results for the north Central conservancies in 2014.

Poster summarising the results of the 2014 North West game count.

Game counts in Bwabwata and Caprivi; dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2012, population estimates and trends.

Poster summarising the results of the 2013 North West game count.

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.

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.

Game counts in Bwabwata and Caprivi; dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2011, population estimates and trends.

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.

Poster summarising the results of the 2012 north central game count.

Poster summarising the results of the 2012 north west game count.

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).

Game counts in Bwabwata and Caprivi; dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2009, population estimates and trends.

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.

Game counts in north-west Namibia, June 2010.

Maps showing live sightings of elephant, giraffe, kudu, roan, sable, buffalo, impala, reedbuck, tsessebe and zebra in the 2010 Caprivi game count.

North West game count - map of sightings per species per 2x2km grid cell.

Maps showing number of animals counted per 100km: springbok, gemsbok, kudu, giraffe, zebra, ostrich. Plu sightings per 2x2 km grid.

Summary of game count in north west in 2009: route statistics, animals seen, population estimates, trends.

Poster summarising results of the Dry Season 2009 game counts in Bwabwata and Caprivi - numbers seen, population trends and estimates.

BirdLife Botswana (the BirdLife partner in Botswana) identified and documented 12 sites as Important Bird Areas (IBAs) of Botswana. These sites are; Chobe National Park, Linyanti Swamps, Okavango Delta, Lake Ngami, Central Kalahari and Khutse Game Reserves (CKGR), Makgadikgadi Pans, Gemsbok National Park, Tswapong Hills, Mannyelanong Hill, Phakalane Sewage ponds, South Eastern Botswana and Bokaa Dam. Even though a huge amount of work has been done by BirdLife Botswana, monitoring efforts in these areas lack adequate co-ordination.

This report presents the results of the third fixed-wing aerial wildlife census of the Caprivi River systems in Namibia conducted during September 2009. The purpose of this survey is to provide recent information on the distribution, abundance and trend of wildlife species including comparisons between protected areas and conservancies. The report compares the results of this survey with earlier fixed-wing aerial surveys conducted in September 2007 and August 2004.

Summary of game count in north west in 2008: route statistics, animals seen, population estimates, trends.

Elephants occur across the entire north of Namibia with two main sub-populations in the north-east and the north-west. In 2004 the total population was estimated at over 16,000 animals and, allowing for underestimates on aerial surveys, the true number in 2007 is likely to be closer to 20,000. The north-western population is about 4,000 animals and includes the elephants in Etosha. This appears to be growing at about 3.3% per annum and expanding its range.

Summary of game count in north west in 2007: route statistics, animals seen, population estimates, trends.

Summary of game count in north west in 2006: route statistics, animals seen, population estimates, trends.

Summary of game count in north west in 2005: route statistics, animals seen, population estimates, trends.

Summary of game count in north west in 2004: route statistics, animals seen, population estimates, trends.

An aerial wildlife survey of the Nyae Nyae Conservancy in Namibia was conducted between 27 August and 5 September 2004. Using stratified systematic transect sampling techniques the 8,900km2 area was samfled at an average intensity of 33 %, during 54 hours of flying. The survey produced population estimates with relatively narrow confidence intervals for some of the abundant species, like kudu, gemsbok and ostrich. Wildlife numbers, as a whole, appeared to have increased when compared with the previous survey in 1998. An abbreviated summary of the numbers of wildlife is listed…

Road counts methodology poster.

Summary of game count in north west in 2002: route statistics, animals seen, population estimates, trends.

Evidence of a decline in the range of elephants is provided by the survey carried out by Viljoen in 1982. The map in fig. 31 is somewhat misleading as all survey blocks in which elephants were seen are shaded even though elephants were unlikely to have been spread throughout the blocks. However, the occurrence of carcasses (cross-hatched areas) in areas where elephants are no longer found indicates a decrease in the range. Since the 1980s, the elephant counts have shown a consistent increase in the population (Fig. 32).

Protected and proclaimed areas in the Caprivi, Namibia, hold most of the economically valuable wildlife species in that region. This wildlife is presently being viewed as a potential resource base to support the many community-based conservation and development programmes in the Caprivi.