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Determining wildlife numbers and their distribution patterns are an important and relevant factor for increasing scientific knowledge, to provide credible information for managerial decisions to conserve and protect biodiversity. This research was aimed at studying the distribution of wildlife species within the Fish River Canyon using different Geographical Information System (GIS) approaches and methods by analysing distribution patterns, slope and aspect analysis on which the animals were counted in, and favourable vegetation type from which different wildlife species were…

Assessing the numbers and distribution of threatened species is a central challenge in conservation, often made difficult because the species of concern are rare and elusive. For some predators, this may be compounded by their being sparsely distributed over large areas. Such is the case with the cheetah Acinonyx jubatus. The IUCN Red List process solicits comments, is democratic, transparent, widely-used, and has recently assessed the species.

This research project deploys satellite tracking collars on ungulates in the GSNL  and monitors their movements as well as other environmental parameters. Its objective is to document movement corridors and identify impediments to migration routes for springbok, oryx and Hartmann’s mountain zebra. Stefanie Urban successfully completed her Bachelor of Natural Resources Management (Honours) project at NUST at the end of 2016. Her project report is available on request.

Vultures provide essential ecological services, yet are amongst the world's most threatened species with populations having declined by more than 95% within ten years in some places. The biggest factor causing this decline is the use of poison, either intentionally or unintentionally. Other factors causing declines are collision with and electrocution by powerlines, illegal harvesting for traditional medicines, habitat loss and drowning in reservoirs.

Summary of game counts in Hardap Game Park, May 2017.

Summary of 2017 game counts: Kavango east.

Summary of game counts in north-west Namibia: Regional Summary.

Summary of game counts in north-central Namibia, July 2017.

Summary of game counts in north-west Namibia: Conservancies north of the veterinary fence, June 2017.

Summary of game counts in north-west Namibia: Palmwag and Etendeka concessions, June 2017.

Summary of game counts in north-west Namibia: Hobatere concessions area, June 2017.

Summary of game counts in southern Namibia, May 2017.

Summary of game counts in east Zambezi, Dry season - Live sightings, 2017.

Summary of game counts in Bwabwata NP, Dry season - Live sightings, 2017.

Summary of North Central Game Count data up to 2017.

The Iona National Park covers about 15,200 km2 or 1.52 million hectares of Angola's Namibe Province in the south-western part of the country. It is the largest national park in Angola. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, an escarpment to the east that marks the beginning of the interior plateau, the Curoca River to the north, and the Cunene River to the south. It is about 200 kilometres south of the town of Namibe. Iona was proclaimed as a reserve in 1937 and upgraded to a national park in 1964.

This survey attempt to quantify the incidence of human-crocodile conflicts (as form of humanwildlife conflicts) in the three perennial rivers namely: Kunene River, Okavango River and the four Zambezi River channels. These are the three river systems in Namibia that are most affected by human-wildlife conflicts. The survey further examine the perspective of local people who use these rivers on HWC, by unpacking the root causes of conflicts and identifying methods to mitigate HWC in the future.

Summary of the 2015 Summer Wetland Bird Counts in Namibia.

Poster summarising the results of the 2015 south game count.

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

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

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

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.

Poster summarising game count results for the north Central conservancies in 2015.

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

Game counts in East Zambezi (Caprivi); dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2014, population estimates and trends.

Game counts in Bwabwata; dry season, live sightings. showing Numbers seen by conservation area, habitat, compared to 2014, population estimates and trends.

Many long-distance migrating shorebird (i.e., sandpipers, plovers, flamingos, oystercatchers) populations are declining. Although regular shorebird monitoring programs exist worldwide, most estimates of shorebird population trends and sizes are poor or nonexistent. We built a state-space model to estimate shorebird population trends. Compared with more commonly used methods of trend estimation, state-space models are more mechanistic, allow for the separation of observation and state process, and can easily accommodate multivariate time series and nonlinear trends.

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…

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).

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.

Numbers of most species dropped during 2015 due to the effects of the drought & the lack of grazing. Although there were a few mortalities, many animals have moved to areas outside the park where conditions are more favourable. This is to be expected in an open system.

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.

As part of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) the Mudumu Complexes of the east Zambezi Region of Namibia are important areas for wildlife connectivity and dispersal. The national parks of the east Zambezi Region, i.e. Mudumu and Nkasa Rupara, are too small to maintain viable populations of some wildlife species, which depend on being able to move across a network of landscapes, such as the conservancies and woodland areas to connect to protected areas in neighbouring countries such as Angola, Botswana and Zambia.

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).

The study sites are covered systematically, by tracking their spoor and setting out bait, to capture and mark all individual leopards and lions. Study animals are immobilised following standard procedures described by our earlier studies and conform to international veterinary standards. All leopards and 80% of lions are radio collared and lions are marked with permanent hot brands. The age of lions and leopards are determined from tooth wear. Radio-collared animals are located with the use of a fixed-wing aircraft.