Search results

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.

Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.

Displaying results 1 - 26 of 26
Kopij G 2023. Status, distribution and numbers of birds in the Ogongo Game Park, north-central Namibia. Namibian Journal of Environment 7 (B) 9-20

In 2012, a simplified territory mapping method was employed to study the distribution and numbers of all birds breeding in the Ogongo Game Park (OGP). OGP is situated approximately 50 km north-west of Oshakati, in the Outapi district, Omusati region, North-Central Namibia. The area of the park is approximately 1000 ha. The vegetation of OGP comprises mainly mopane savanna Colophospermum-Acacia nilotica. In total, 142 bird species were recorded: 101 breeding residents, 19 regular visitors, 10 irregular visitors, 3 vagrants, 10 Palaearctic migrants.

Bussiere EMS, Potgieter D 2023. KAZA Elephant Survey 2022, Volume I: Results and Technical Report.

Following several years of preparation, the KAZA Elephant Survey (2022) commenced on 22 August 2022 and ran until 28 October 2022. The primary objective of the survey was to obtain a relatively precise and accurate estimate of the number of African savanna elephants (hereafter elephants) in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), by synchronising data collection, particularly in areas of transboundary elephant movement.

Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) 2023. The Kavango-Zambezi transfrontier elephant survey. Conservation and the Environment in Namibia 26-31

The first flight to begin an elephant survey covering parts of Angola, Botswana, Namibia,Zambia and Zimbabwe took off from a dirt strip in Zimbabwe on 22 August 2022. The survey area, known as the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), hosts over half of Africa's savanna elephants, which underlines the importance of the survey.

Heydinger J, Muzuma U 2023. First-ever systematic lion population survey in northwest Namibia. Conservation and the Environment in Namibia 58-61

The lions of Namibia's Kunene Region are sought after by tourists, but they are a local threat to livestock farming, and are still largely unresearched in terms of their ecology and ranging behaviour. Though lions in Kunene have been monitored for more than twenty years, it may come as a surprise that the population has not been systematically counted throughout its range - until now. It is less surprising when one realises that the lion range in Kunene covers more than 51,000 km² of mountainous desert landscape.

Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts in Hardap Game Park: June 2023.
Attachment Size
Hardap Game Count 2023.pdf 689 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game Counts: Kavango East, July 2023.

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. The 2023 data suggest: populations for 4 of the main game species (Roan, Eland, Steenbok and Duiker) showed positive or stable trends. There were however sharp drops in the numbers of gemsbok and kudu seen. Estimates suggest that these populations are still well balanced in number.

Attachment Size
Kavango poster 2023 final.pdf 659.62 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts - transboundary: 2017 - 2023.

Estimates were calculated using DISTANCE which takes account in drop-off in detectability of animals with distance from the transect line. Where there are no values too few observations were recorded to allow for meaningful estimates to be derived. Attempts should be made to fill these gaps. Kwandu conservancy differs from the other 3 more strictly protected areas in that it contains a significant human presence. It is not expected to have the same species densities, but it is an important wildlife corridor between the national parks.

Attachment Size
Kaza_2023 final.pdf 383.91 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts in Luengue-Luiana N.P., October 2023.

Game counts in Luengue-Luiana N.P. (proclaimed in 2011) were initiated in 2018. Three road section transect routes were initially established. A further two were added in 2021. The transects are limited to the extreme south-eastern portion of the park and represent an area of approximately 2,030 km². The vegetation of the park is dominated by broad-leafed savannah with several riparian networks crossing the park. In total 28 species have been recorded. For large herd species like buffalo, or floodplain species like red lechwe, extrapolation is not appropriate.

Attachment Size
Luengue_Luiana poster 2023 final.pdf 620.89 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts in north-central Namibia: June 2023.
Numbers for Uukwaluudhi and Okongo are from foot transects in the core area. Although an additional 3 vehicle transects were undertaken in the Uukwaluudhi core area these are used for comparing counting methods and are not indicated here.
Attachment Size
North Central Game Count 2023 final.pdf 774.01 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts in north-west Namibia, Hobatere Concession: May 2023.
Game counts in north-west Namibia, Hobatere Concession: May 2023.
Attachment Size
North West Game Count_Hobatere 2023.pdf 378.34 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts in north-west Namibia, conservancies north of veterinary fence: May 2023.
Game counts in north-west Namibia, conservancies north of veterinary fence: May 2023.
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts in north-west Namibia, Palmwag and Etendeka Concessions: May 2023.
Game counts in north-west Namibia, Palmwag and Etendeka Concessions: May 2023.
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts in north-west Namibia, regional summary: May 2023.

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 prolonged dry phase after 2013 resulted in a steady decline in populations of many game species. It is unclear how much illegal harvesting contributed to the drop in animal numbers.

Attachment Size
North West Game Count_Regional 2023.pdf 625.48 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts in north-west Namibia, conservancies south of veterinary fence: May 2023.
Game counts in north-west Namibia, conservancies south of veterinary fence: May 2023.
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts - Nyae Nyae Conservancy, line transects: July 2023.

Line transects were initiated 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 27 species including 7 predator species. Based on average spoor sightings and Event Book records, hyaena are the most common predator, followed by wild dog, leopard and jackal. The top 3 species in terms of sightings between 2017 and 2023 included wildebeest, elephant and kudu.

Attachment Size
Nyae Nyae transect count 2023 final.pdf 661.02 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Nyae Nyar and N#A-Jaqna Conservancies full moon waterhole counts: 2023.
Nyae Nyar and N#A-Jaqna Conservancies full moon waterhole counts: 2023.
Attachment Size
Nyae Nyae waterhole 2023 final.pdf 517.38 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts in Sioma-Ngwezi N.P.: October 2023.

Annual game counts have been undertaken in Sioma-Ngwezi National Park since 2017 using road-route sections covering the western boundary, the southern area, and central area of the park. The vegetation of the park is dominated by miombo broad-leafed savanna but with some marshland associated with the Kwando river in the west (Sinjembela road and Mufulani road A). In 2021 several new routes were driven, however data from all except Namulilo road were discarded as they overlapped existing routes. Only a portion of Mulamba road route was counted.

Attachment Size
Sioma_Ngwezi_poster 2023 final.pdf 593.81 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts in southern Namibia: June 2023.
Game counts in southern Namibia: June 2023.
Attachment Size
Southern Conservancy Game Count 2023.pdf 711.39 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Full moon waterhole counts in northern Kunene: 2023.

Waterhole counts were undertaken at selected sites in the escarpment zone of north-west Namibia. In 2018,18 waterholes in 7 conservancies were counted but from 2019 onwards, the number of waterholes was increased to more than 25 covering 11 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.

Attachment Size
Waterholes_NW_poster_2023.pdf 539.37 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts in Babwata N.P.: August 2023.
Game counts in Babwata N.P.: August 2023.
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts in east Zambezi: August 2023.
Game counts in east Zambezi: August 2023.
Attachment Size
Zambezi Game Count_East 2023 final.pdf 539.78 KB
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organisations (NACSO) 2023. Game counts - Zambezi Rivers: August/September 2023.
Boat counts were undertaken along the Kwando river from the Angolan border to the southern boundary of Mudumu National Park (2021, 2022, 2023) and along the Okavango river from the northern part of the Buffalo core area to the Botswana border (2023). Total river length counted is approximately 190 km. Within Namibia animals on each side of the river were counted while, in the case of hippo, animals in the river were also counted.
Attachment Size
Zambezi Game Count_River 2023 final.pdf 374.13 KB
Brown CJ 1989. Pygmy Falcon population in the central Namib desert, Namibia . Gabar 3 10 - 13

Distribution is restricted by the availability of Sociable Weaver nests, rather than by other environmental factors. There is a 26% occupancy rate and the falcons choose larger Sociable Weaver nest masses.

1989. Directorate Nature Conservation and Recreational Resorts: Annual Report 1989.
Scheepers JL 1986. Lugsensus van wes Etosha Mei 1986.

Aerial census of west Etosha May 1986.

Attachment Size
Etosha NP_Aerial census 1986 05 west.PDF 452.52 KB
1986. Department of Agriculture and Nature Conservation: Annual Report 1986.

Not found what you are looking for? Amend your search...