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Namibian Wildlife Surveys archive

This archive of reports of wildlife surveys in Namibia aims to:

  • provide easy public access to published information and statistics
  • enable easy stakeholder access to recent and historical data on wildlife populations
  • provide a comprehensive archive of wildlife survey reports in Namibia

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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Displaying results 201 - 250 of 320
Kolberg H 2009. Of gale-force winds and balmy days - Narrative of twenty-five days of bird counting in the wild hinterland of Namibia . Lanioturdus 42 (2) 2-4
Kolberg H 2009. Population Census of Flamingos in Namibia, July 2008 . Lanioturdus 42 (2) 12-14

The southern African Lesser Flamingo population was estimated to number 55,000 - 65,000 individuals in the mid-1990s, but these were either under estimates or the numbers have increased since, because at times Kamfers Dam, the Goldfields wetlands (in South Africa), Etosha Pan (Namibia) and Sua Pan (Botswana) each support more than that number. In order to try and get to grips with the size of the southern African population of Lesser Flamingos, a coordinated survey was planned for 20-21 July 2008.

2009. Wildlife census of Namibia's North East Rivers - 2009 .

Caprivi is a key area for wildlife, which moves freely between Namibia and neighbouring countries. Caprivi has a number of community conservancy programmes, in addition to state protected areas. Conservancies have a strong commitment towards conservation, which contributes to rural livelihoods through the development of wildlife-based enterprises. A total of 19,212 head of wildlife (excluding birds) were observed. Information shown on this poster comes from the report: Fixed-wing aerial wildlife census of the Caprivi river systems. A survey of rivers, wetlands and…

Kolberg H 2009. Summary of the 2007 Ringing Season in Namibia . Lanioturdus 42 (1) 15-19

The 30 June 2008 signaled the end of the 2007 ringing season and the following is a summary thereof. In total 9 637 birds of 270 species were ringed or re-trapped, controlled etc. this season. Out of this total 9 033 were newly ringed birds (i.e. SAFRING code 1). Data from 19 ringers was received and Dirk Heinrich once again is the "ringing king" of code 1 birds, followed by Tim Osborne and Mark Boorman but in the re-trap etc. category Tim pipped Dirk, followed by Ursula Franke. Dirk also held top spot in the number of different species ringed category.

Chase M 2009. Fixed-wing aerial wildlife census of the Caprivi river systems: A survey of rivers, wetlands and floodplains in September 2009.

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.

BirdLife Botswana 2009. 2008 Status report for Protected Important Bird Areas of Botswana .

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.

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2008_Botswana_IBA_monitoring_report.pdf 1.81 MB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2008. Game counts in north-west Namibia, June 2008 .

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

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NW game count poster 2008.pdf 176.85 KB
Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) 2007. Species Management Plan - Elephants, Loxodonta africana .

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.

Brown C, Chase M, Nkala T, Landen K, Aust P 2007. Status of Wattled Cranes on the floodplains of north-east Namibia: Results from an aerial survey during September 2007 .

The Okavango River in Namibia, from the Angolan border just northwest of the bridge on the Trans-Caprivi highway south to the Botswana border; the entire length of the Kwandu-Linyanti-Lake Liambezi-Chobe system, including the whole Mamili National Park; and the Zambezi River for its entire length on Namibia's border, including parts of the adjacent East Caprivi floodplains, were survey from the air in September 2007.

Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2007. Game counts in north-west Namibia, June 2007 .

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

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NW game count poster 2007.pdf 155.13 KB
Kolberg H 2006. Summary of the 2006 January Wetland Bird Counts .

Namibia experienced some extreme rainfall in the first three months of 2006 and this, perhaps, is reflected in the results of the January wetland counts. One counter, Wilfred, could not get to his sites because it was too wet! In terms of numbers Walvis Bay leads by far but the Mahango yet again confirms its status as the most species rich birding destination in our country.

Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2006. Game counts in north-west Namibia, June 2006 .

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

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NW game count poster 2006.pdf 154 KB
Kolberg H 2006. Summary of Wetland Bird Counts in Namibia, July 2004 to July 2006 .
Kolberg H 2005. Summary of the July 2005 Wetland Bird Counts in Namibia .

Namibia's loyal wetland bird counters once again delivered the goods in July/August in the twice annual wetland bird counts. In total 141704 birds of 112 species were counted at 21 localities.

2005. Etosha National Park aerial survey 2005 first draft, 14 October 2005.

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 and 2004.

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Etosha NP_NP2005_Survey_Report.pdf 939.26 KB
Brown C 2005. Migrant birds of Namibia.
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Migrant birds of Namibia.pdf 4.3 MB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2005. Game counts in north-west Namibia, June 2005 .

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

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NW game count poster 2005.pdf 839.07 KB
2005. North west aerial survey 2005 - first draft, 24 November 2005.
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North west aerial survey 2005.pdf 2.87 MB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2004. Game counts in north-west Namibia, June 2004 .

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

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NW game count poster 2004.pdf 483.95 KB
Brown CJ, Meyer-Rust R 2004. Winter counts of wetland and floodplain birds in the Kwando River and floodplain system, Caprivi .

Human and, increasingly, elephant pressure on Namibia's wetlands and riparian belts are a major cause of conservation concern. Many wetland birds are listed in Namibia's Red Data Book (Simmons & Brown in prep) because of population declines caused by the degradation and destruction of wetland habitats, and because of high levels of disturbance. Good information on the status of major wetlands and their avifauna is important for their conservation management. Birds provide one of the best indicators of wetland health.

Brown CJ, Stander P, Mayes S, Conradie L, Haredoeb P, Singwangwa M, Cilliers W 2004. Status of Wattled Cranes on the floodplains of north-east Namibia: Results from an aerial survey during August 2004 .

Areas surveyed: The Okavango River in Namibia, from just northwest the bridge on the Trans-Caprivi highway south to the Botswana border; the entire length of the Kwandu-Linyanti-Lake Liambezi-Chobe system, including the Mamili National Park; and the Zambezi river for its entire length on Namibia's border, including parts of the adjacent East Caprivi floodplains.

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Wattled Crane Survey_2004.pdf 1.02 MB
Stander P 2004. Aerial survey of wildlife in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy, Namibia - September 2004.

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…

Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2003. Game counts in north-west Namibia - Methodology .

Road counts methodology poster.

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Poster_Road_counts_Methodology.jpg 1.31 MB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2003. Bwabwata National Park Wet Season Game Count .

Poster summarising procedure, logistics and transects of Bwabwata National Park wet season game count.

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Poster_WCWS_count_Methodology_2003.ppt 2.31 MB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2003. Game counts in north-west Namibia - June 2002 .

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

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NW game count poster 2002.pdf 274.29 KB
2003. North West Game Counts, June 2003 .
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North_West_Game_Counts_June_2003.pdf 570.33 KB
2002. Annual game census for Nyae-Nyae.
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Annual game census for Nyae_Nyae_2002.PDF 650.56 KB
2002. Etosha survey report 2002.
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Etosha Survey Report October 2002.pdf 694.08 KB
Paxton M, Sheehan L 2002. Mahango bird count January 2002 . Lanioturdus 35 (4) 24-28
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Mahango bird count January 2002.pdf 353.37 KB
Kilian JW 2002. Aerial census of wildlife in Etosha National Park, September - October 2002.

Aerial surveys have been conducted in Etosha National Park since 1968. These counts were strictly not comparable as they were undertaken at irregular intervals with different coverage, The first comprehensive sample count was done 1995, Since then sample counts were completed in 1998 and 2002. The 2002 survey is therefore the fourth complete sample count of Etosha. The objectives of the 2002 survey were as follows: 1. To provide comparable estimates and trend data for the most important species surveyed in support of speies management plan. 2.

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Introduction ENP Survey Report 2002.pdf 233.02 KB
Kilian JW 2002. Aerial census of wildlife in Etosha National Park, September - October 2002.

Aerial surveys have been conducted in Etosha National Park since 1968. These counts were strictly not comparable as they were undertaken at irregular intervals with different coverage, The first comprehensive sample count was done 1995, Since then sample counts were completed in 1998 and 2002. The 2002 survey is therefore the fourth complete sample count of Etosha. The objectives of the 2002 survey were as follows: 1. To provide comparable estimates and trend data for the most important species surveyed in support of speies management plan. 2.

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Etosha NP_Aerial census 2002 intro.pdf 233.02 KB
2002. Etosha National Park aerial census 2002.
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Etosha NP_Aerial census 2002.pdf 694.07 KB
Paxton M, Sheehan L 2001. Mahango wetland bird count - January 2001 . Lanioturdus 34 (2) 2-7
Simmons RE 2001. Namibia wetland bird counts: January, April and July 2000 . Lanioturdus 34 (2) 19-23
2001. Wildlife monitoring in north-western Namibia.

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).

Tyler SJ 2001. A review of waterbird counts in Botswana, 1991 - 2000 . Babbler Special Supplement (1)
Erb KP 2000. Etosha aerial census report September 2000.

Etosha National Park has a long history of aerial game counts, the first experimental counts being conducted in the late 1960's. Only in the late 1980's were systematic sample counts introduced. A big advance in the actual procedure and analysis was made with the introduction of GPS and GIS software used since 1995. The 2000 census is the third census flown based on GPS transects and were GPS waypoints were recorded for sightings made.

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Etosha NP_Aerial census 2000.pdf 548.06 KB
Paxton M 2000. July wetland bird count - Mahango Game Reserve . Lanioturdus 33 (1&2) 13-19
Paxton M, Sheehan L 1999. January wetland bird count in the Mahango Game Reserve, Kavango . Lanioturdus 32 (1) 15-18
Barnes RFW, Craig GC, Dublin HT, Overton G, Simons W, Thouless CR 1998. African elephant database.
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African elephant database_1998.pdf 10.94 MB
Lindeque M, Lindeque P 1997. Aerial sample counts of large game in northern Namibia . Madoqua 19 (2) 75-86
Said MY, Chunge RN, Craig GC, Thouless CR, Barnes RFW, Dublin HT 1995. African elephant database.
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African elephant database_1995.pdf 13.43 MB
Erb KP 1995. The Elesmap census in Etosha National Park July/August 1995  .

Etosha National Park, hereafter referred to as Etosha, was counted as part of the first co-ordinated regional Elesmap census from 15 July to 3 August 1995. The aim of this report is to present the results of the elephant count, data for the other species will be presented separately. Etosha is a 23 000 km² conservation area surrounding a large saline pan. The vegetation is mainly open Mopane and Acacia savanna and short grass plains. Topography is mainly very flat, with only a few hills in the west. For a detailed description see inter alia le Roux et al.(1988).

Rodwell TC, Tagg J, Grobler M 1995. Wildlife resources in the Caprivi, Namibia. The Results of an Aerial Census in 1994 and Comparisons with Past Surveys .

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.

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Research Discussion Paper 9_1995.pdf 204.4 KB
Robertson A, Simmons RE, Jarvis AM, Brown CJ 1995. Can Bird Atlas data be used to estimate population size? A case study using Namibian endemics . Biological Conservation 71 87 - 95

An assessment of population size is a fundamental stage in the conservation of any species. The recent availability of data from the Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP) provides a tool to investigate the status and distribution of approximately 900 bird species covered by this work. Here, we assess whether or not reporting rate can be used to establish absolute abundance and thereby produce estimates of population size.

Erb KP 1995. The Elesmap census in Etosha National Park July/August 1995.

Etosha National Park, hereafter referred to as Etosha, was counted as part of the first co-ordinated regional Elesmap census from 15 July to 3 August 1995. The aim of this report is to present the results of the elephant count, data for the other species will be presented separately. Etosha is a 23 000 km² conservation area surrounding a large saline pan. The vegetation is mainly open Mopane and Acacia savanna and short grass plains. Topography is mainly very flat, with only a few hills in the west. For a detailed description see inter alia le Roux et al.(1988).

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Etosha NP_Elephant_Jan 1996.pdf 213.38 KB
Herremans M, Brown CJ, Borello WD, Herremans-Tonnoeyr D 1993. The abundance of European Rollers Coracias garrulus in Botswana and Namibia . Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology 64 (2) 93 – 94

Short paper discussing previous documented records and interpretation in relation to records data.

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European Rollers in Namibia_1993.pdf 3.06 MB
Loutit R, Douglas-Hamilton I 1992. Report on an elephant count in the Cunene province, Namibia - 10th to 21st October 1992 .

Report on an elephant count in the Cunene province, Namibia. Keywords: Namibia, Kunene River, aerial survey, wildlife management, wildlife density, elephant census, elephant distribution, wildlife conservation.

Brown CJ 1991. Birds of the Swakop River lagoon . Lanioturdus 26 (1) 16-21
Holtzhausen JA 1990. Game numbers at Buffalo in the west Caprivi.

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