N$285m budgeted for human-wildlife conflict
• Causes include competition for resources, living space
Human-wildlife conflict ranges from the destruction of crops and water installations to loss of livestock, homes and, in some cases, the loss of life.
The environment ministry annually budgets N$285 million to address human-wildlife conflict in the country.
This includes the availing of resources for salaries, overtime, vehicles, translocation equipment, helicopters, operations and the development budget.
Its director of wildlife and national parks Bennett Kahuure said this at a national conference on human-wildlife conflict management.
“There are early warning systems, translocation of problem animals and the implementation of human-wildlife conflict mitigation measures through the ministry. There is community awareness and information dissemination.”
According to him, a total of N$62 million has been availed through the ministry’s partners as well since 2018.
He elaborated on the implementation of the 2018 revised national policy on human-wildlife conflict management and said the policy was revised for a period of 10 years, which is from 2018 to 2027.
As they are in the middle of the implementation process, it is an appropriate time to look at the successes, challenges and also the opportunities into the next five years of implementation, he added.
Conflict
Kahuure explained that human-wildlife conflict refers to the conflict between people and wild animals and widely occurs throughout the country, mainly on communal land as well as on freehold land.
These conflicts range from the destruction of crops and water installations to loss of livestock, homes and, in some cases, the loss of life.
“The main problems occur on the communal land where elephants and predators are found outside protected areas and where people are least able economically to bear the costs of damage and losses.”
However, he added that these problems extend to commercial farms - involving damage to water installations, fences and crops.
The goal of the policy is to provide measures and approaches to manage and reduce human-wildlife conflict in Namibia from the current incidents of about 5 000 per year in 2018 to less than 1 000 incidents by 2026, he said.
Kahuure said some causes of human-wildlife conflict include competition between the growing human and wildlife population for the same living space and resources.
Another cause is the movement of people into areas previously uninhabited for reasons of safety, food security or because of droughts or floods.
Problem animals
Key problem-causing animals covered in the policy are elephants, lions, cheetahs, leopards, hippos, crocodiles and caracals, he said.
However, other problem animals that have been identified but are not covered in the policy are jackals, baboons and snakes.
According to Kahuure, strategic approaches to addressing human-wildlife conflict includes research and monitoring, land use planning and integrated measures to avoid conflict, human capacity and resources, community care and engagement, removal of problem-causing animals and disaster management.
It also includes the application of revenue from problem-causing animals to avoid future conflict.
This includes the availing of resources for salaries, overtime, vehicles, translocation equipment, helicopters, operations and the development budget.
Its director of wildlife and national parks Bennett Kahuure said this at a national conference on human-wildlife conflict management.
“There are early warning systems, translocation of problem animals and the implementation of human-wildlife conflict mitigation measures through the ministry. There is community awareness and information dissemination.”
According to him, a total of N$62 million has been availed through the ministry’s partners as well since 2018.
He elaborated on the implementation of the 2018 revised national policy on human-wildlife conflict management and said the policy was revised for a period of 10 years, which is from 2018 to 2027.
As they are in the middle of the implementation process, it is an appropriate time to look at the successes, challenges and also the opportunities into the next five years of implementation, he added.
Conflict
Kahuure explained that human-wildlife conflict refers to the conflict between people and wild animals and widely occurs throughout the country, mainly on communal land as well as on freehold land.
These conflicts range from the destruction of crops and water installations to loss of livestock, homes and, in some cases, the loss of life.
“The main problems occur on the communal land where elephants and predators are found outside protected areas and where people are least able economically to bear the costs of damage and losses.”
However, he added that these problems extend to commercial farms - involving damage to water installations, fences and crops.
The goal of the policy is to provide measures and approaches to manage and reduce human-wildlife conflict in Namibia from the current incidents of about 5 000 per year in 2018 to less than 1 000 incidents by 2026, he said.
Kahuure said some causes of human-wildlife conflict include competition between the growing human and wildlife population for the same living space and resources.
Another cause is the movement of people into areas previously uninhabited for reasons of safety, food security or because of droughts or floods.
Problem animals
Key problem-causing animals covered in the policy are elephants, lions, cheetahs, leopards, hippos, crocodiles and caracals, he said.
However, other problem animals that have been identified but are not covered in the policy are jackals, baboons and snakes.
According to Kahuure, strategic approaches to addressing human-wildlife conflict includes research and monitoring, land use planning and integrated measures to avoid conflict, human capacity and resources, community care and engagement, removal of problem-causing animals and disaster management.
It also includes the application of revenue from problem-causing animals to avoid future conflict.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article