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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 1 - 40 of 40
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2021. Game counts in Hardap Game Park and Naute Recreation Resort - May 2021.
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NACSO Hardap and Naute Game Count 2021.pdf 805.96 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2021. Game counts in north-west Namibia regional summary, May 2021.

Wildlife populations in north-west Namibia were severely impacted in the 1980s by a combination of severe drought and poaching. Community conservation, formalised in 1996 through conservancies facilitated an increase in wildlife numbers through controlled utilisation and effective control of poaching. Between 1996 and 2012 most species experienced stable or growing population trends. However, a subsequent prolonged dry phase has resulted in a steady decline in populations of many game species. It is unclear how much illegal harvesting has contributed to this decline.

Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2021. Game counts in north-central Namibia - Total number of animals seen: last 5 years - July 2021.
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2021. Game counts in north-west Namibia: Conservancies north of the veterinary fence, May 2021.
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2021. Game counts in north-west Namibia: Conservancies south of the veterinary fence, May 2021.
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2021. Game counts in north-west Namibia: Palmwag and Etendeka Conscessions, May 2021.
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2021. Game counts in north-west Namibia: Hobatere Concession, May 2021.
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2021. Game counts in southern Namibia: May 2021.
Craig GC, Gibson DSC, Uiseb KH 2021. Namibia's elephants - population, distribution and trends. Pachyderm 62 35-52

Namibia's elephants extend across the north of the country. They occur in six main areas of the known Namibian range - the north-west, Etosha National Park (NP), Mangetti National Park, northern Kavango, Khaudum National Park/Nyae Nyae Conservancy and Zambezi Region. Seasonal changes in distribution are related to water availability. There are movements of elephants between Namibia and its neighbours, particularly Botswana, and mainly from Zambezi Region. The largest populations are found in the north-east of the country, in Khaudum/Nyae Nyae and Zambezi Region.

Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2021. Game counts: Kavango East, August 2021.

The fundamental purpose of game counts in communal areas is to inform conservancies and MEFT of wildlife trends for the purposes of adaptive management of resources. While estimates of species numbers are provided, these should only be considered as an approximate guide to species abundance.

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Kavango poster 2021 final.pdf 711.16 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2021. Game counts in East Zambezi, dry season - live sightings, October 2021.

The fundamental purpose of game counts in communal areas is to inform conservancies and MEFT of wildlife trends for the purposes of adaptive management of resources. While estimates for some species are provided, these should only be considered as an approximate guide to species abundance.

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Zambezi Game Count_East 2021 final.pdf 657.33 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2021. Game counts in Bwabwata NP, dry seaon - live sightings, October 2021.

The fundamental purpose of these annual game counts is to inform MEFT of general wildlife trends in the parks. While estimates for some species are provided, these should only be considered as an approximate guide to species abundance.

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Zambezi Game Count_Bwabwata 2021 final.pdf 656.34 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2021. Full moon waterhole counts in northern Kunene, 2021.

Counts were undertaken at waterholes in the escarpment zone of north west Namibia. In 2018,18 waterholes in 7 conservancies were counted while in 2019, 2020 and 2021, the number of waterholes was increased to around 26 covering 10 conservancies. Counts were undertaken over a period of 2, 3 or 4 days during which time all animals seen were counted. Game species differ in the frequency with which they need to visit water resources with some able to acquire much of their hydration needs through foraging.

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Waterholes_NW_poster_2021_final.pdf 513.97 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2021. Game counts - line transects Nyae Nyae Conservancy, August 2021.

Line transects were started in 2017 and represent almost half of the total area of the conservancy and include most of the waterholes. The area not covered by transects has low animal densities due to reduced habitat suitability and people pressure. Transect counts have recorded 23 species including 6 predator species. Based on average spoor sightings hyaena are the most common predator, followed by leopard and wild dog.

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Nyae Nyae Game Count transect 2021.pdf 765.3 KB
Matthys D 2021. Kaza-Wide aerial survey of elephants launched.

The partner states of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), Namibia, Botswana, Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe last week launched the first-ever coordinated aerial survey of elephants in Windhoek. Speaking at the launch, Executive Director in the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Theofilus Nghitila said the survey is a fundamental component of the KAZA Strategic Planning Framework for the Conservation and Management of Elephants. "The survey will be coordinated by the KAZA Secretariat in close collaboration with designated teams in…

Brain C, NamPol 2021. An informal aerial count of elephants in the river systems of Kunene in December 2021.

Numbers of elephants counted by Nad Brain and NamPol observers between 16 -31 Dec 2021 as part of antipoaching surveillance work. The unstructered aerial search counts focussed on the river systems and were done from the Westair / NCE Cessna 182 V5 –IIM flying out of Palmwag airfield and using SRT's base camp Ma – I – Go. It was not possible to record demographics of the herds, but did count bulls individually. The bulls are in addition to the herd numbers.

Kolberg H 2014. Summary of the 2013 Winter Wetland Bird Counts in Namibia . Lanioturdus 47 23-31
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2014. Game counts in southern Namibia, May 2014 .

Poster summarising the results of the 2014 south game count.

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South_game_count_poster_2014.pdf 641.04 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2014. Game counts in north-west Namibia, June 2014 .

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

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NW_game_count_poster_2014.pdf 737.28 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2014. Game counts in north-central Namibia .

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
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2014. Game counts: Khaudum North Complex .

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
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2014. Game counts in Hardap Game Park, May 2014 .

Poster summarising the results of the 2014 Hardap game count.

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Hardap_game_count_poster_2014.pdf 715.51 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2014. Game counts in east Zambezi: Dry Season 2014 .

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
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2014. Game counts in Bwabwata: Dry Season – Live sightings .

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
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2014. Game counts in Bwabwata and Zambezi: Dry Season 2014 .

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
Kolberg H 2014. Summary of the 2014 Summer Wetland Bird counts in Namibia . Lanioturdus 47 (3) 28-30

Summary of the 2014 Summer Wetland Bird counts in Namibia.

Craig GC, Gibson DSC 2014. Aerial survey of elephants and other wildlife in Zambezi Region, September/October 2014.

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%.

Gondwana Collection Namibia 2014.   Gondwana Namib Park game count 2014.
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Gondwana Namib Park game count 2014.pdf 2.29 MB
Hartung Q 2014. Report on the Burchell's Zebra (Equus burchelli) and Red Hartebeest (Sigmoceros lichtensteinii) total road count done on the 24th of June 2014 .

On 24 June 2014 we conducted a total count of the Burchell’s Zebra and Red Hartebeest in of the Reserve. To get the total count we drove on designated routes, throughout the northern part of the Reserve, where the B. Zebra and Hartebeest herds are normally seen, and counted all the B. Zebra and Hartebeest seen. The count was divided into three routes, all starting from Keerweder at the same time.

Hartung Q, Hartung V 2014. Results of the NamibRand Nature Reserve and Pro-Namib Conservancy annual game count 31 May 2014.

This report provides summarised results and analysis of the annual game count held on the NamibRand Nature Reserve and the Pro-Namib Conservancy on the 31st of May 2014. This is the tenth consecutive year that the count was held since 2005 and the third year that the farms Springbokvlakte and Saffier have been included. Teamwork was once again the essence of the day as concessionaires, landowners, neighbours and NRNR staff joined in to participate in the event.

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NRNR game count report 2014.pdf 2.14 MB
Mendelsohn J, Mendelsohn M 2014. Observations on the movements and home ranges of Hartmann's Mountain Zebras and Oryx in the Greater Sossusvlei-Namib Landscape, December 2014.

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.

Mendelsohn J 2014. Observations on the movements and home ranges of Hartmann’s Mountain Zebras and Oryx in the Greater Sossusvlei-Namib Landscape, July 2014.

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.

Craig GC, Gibson DSC 2014. Aerial survey of elephants and other wildlife in Zambezi Region September/October 2014.

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.

du Preez JS 1972. Game census - Etosha: April 1972.
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Etosha NP_Aerial census 1972 04.PDF 305.49 KB
du Preez JS 1972. Wildtelling - Etosha: Juni 1972.

Game census - Etosha: June 1972.

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Etosha NP_Aerial census 1972 06.PDF 164.86 KB
1972. Air census Etosha National park 25.10.72 to 2.11.72.
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Etosha NP_Aerial census 1972 10.PDF 583.84 KB
1972. Aerial census September (12-20 September 1972) - Etosha National Park.
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Etosha NP_Aerial census 1972 09.PDF 161.68 KB
du Preez JS 1972. Wildtelling: Etosha, Juli 1972.

Game count: Etosha, July 1972.

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Etosha NP_Aerial census 1972 07.PDF 195.09 KB
Reid RC 1972. A study of the status and ecology of cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), lion (Panthera leo) and the cape wild cat (Felis libyea) in the Etosha National Park .
1972. South West African Administration White Paper on the activities of the different branches for 1972.

More research was done on game capture techniques and means and eland, springbok, gemsbok, zebra and rhino were captured and translocated successfully. More game was sold to farmers, namely 147 springbok, 46 gemsbok and 47 plains zebra. In addition 85 eland and some giraffe were taken from the Mangetti to the Waterberg Plateau Park, two rhinos to the Etosha National Park and 7 mountain zebra to the game park area of the Hardap Recreation Resort. The use of a helicopter once more proved essential for capturing game.

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SWA Administration_1972.pdf 328.1 KB

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