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National Workshop on Human Wildlife Conflict Management 2005 Donkey/Horse 2 27 5 5 22 Various Game 21 58 3 32 110 Species destroyed (reported) Species 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Lion 37 23 10 24 46 S/hyena 22 39 31 26 54 Black/b-jackal - 54 58 8 88 Leopard 1 4 4 1 3 Cheetah 2 3 3 1 1 Caracal - 8 - 3 5 Investigation of incidents • Three Regional Offices overlapping along ENP – Etosha, Northwest and North Central regional offices; • ENP staff are the closest; • Each incident reported is investigated and verified; • Options weighed: o Relocation to park; o Destruction of individuals; o Trophy hunting of individuals; o DSS assistance required for relocation; o Destruction and trophy hunting requires Head Office approval. Incidents Verwag farm • Lioness and 4 cubs (about 6 months old); • One cow killed; • Lioness caught in cage and released in park; • Cubs caught and released in park (same place); • Lioness back at the farm after two days; • Lioness trophy-hunted; • Two cubs at the farm after three days from release; • One cub caught and released in predator enclosure (still in to date, one springbok shot each week); • One cub back to park on its own. Lion shot at Waterhole –Okaukuejo • Young male lion ended up in the camp in pursuit of a springbok; • Tourists taking photographs; • No veterinarian in the park; 30
National Workshop on Human Wildlife Conflict Management 2005 • Management faced with dilemma – either to leave the animal alone, or to destroy the animal; • Tourists not willing to leave the area for their safety; • Lion shot; • Tourists not happy; • Ends up in media. Rhino attack- Okaukuejo • Security injured by rhino – Okaukuejo; • No actions taken; • Victim reckless. Challenges faced by PA managers • Reducing conflicts between human and wildlife at the same time conserving wildlife; • Some people inflate losses in the hope of being compensated at the same level; • Lack of policies; • High costs/insufficient funds; • Lack of qualified staff (immobilization); • Delays in reporting of cases; • Delays in obtaining approvals. Lessons learnt • Destruction of problem animals (lions) is not always the solution; • Destruction creates vacuums that are rapidly filled by immigrants from other areas; • Big cats can eventually adapt to persecution and become more secretive and difficult to catch; • Relocation is also not successful all the time; • Dr Flip Stander classified stock-raiding lions from ENP as either occasional raiders or habitual raiders; and • Lions that are likely to become stock raiders are displaced sub-adult males; • Recommends that the long-term monitoring (recognition of individuals) is the key and the right course of action to be taken. Questions and Answers Namugongo said HWC was highlighted in the media, and he had been interviewed several times on this matter on the OshiHerero and Oshiwambo radio stations, as well as on Open Line on National Radio. A mysterious animal was killing small stock in the North Central area, which also has lion problems. He explained that there was an Oshiwambo belief that lions only eat the cattle of the king. There were elephant problems around Ruacana, while a black mamba had killed eight livestock there. Chrispin Makata (MET) referred to the possibility of harnessing tourist fees to North East parks into the GPTF. He said hunters came to the area but were more interested in killing for trophy sizes instead of identified problem animals. Erwin Tjikuua (MET) wanted to know if it was possible to decentralise powers to regions. There was confusion over which MET regional offices should attend various meetings and forums. 31
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HWCM - Ministry of Environment and Tourism

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