EXPEDITION REPORT - Biosphere Expeditions

animals starve to death. Another option is to feed the animals, but this has financial
implications and many game species do not take any fodder. If management is done
properly, game-proof fenced areas can be very good conservation tools, for rare species in
particular.
In our previous study site (Omitara and Seeis) an average of 211 animals per transect
were detected. This number is more than four times that of Okomitundu. This is because
Okomitundu is more arid than the Seeis region and therefore grazing and browsing
capacity is lower. Assuming that large carnivore density is limited by the availability of prey
animals, it is not surprising that fewer carnivores are present at Okomitundu compared to
Seeis. This is also supported by the Large Carnivore Atlas programme (Stander &
Hanssen 2003) as well as our spoor data (see 2.5.3.).
Leopards mainly range in the western parts of Okomitundu. Their prey availability within
the game-proof fenced area did not change significantly in any of the three years. Besides
that some leopards were shot, which meant that territories were available for takeover. So
it is not surprising that the number of leopards increased from five individuals in 2005 to
eight individuals in 2006 and nine individuals in 2007.
Regarding cheetahs, which mainly range in the eastern parts of the area, conditions
deteriorated in 2006 as prey availability on the open farmland dropped to less than half
that in 2005. Secondly, the composition of prey species was dominated by oryx, which are
good at fighting off predators. Thirdly, the dominance of the male coalition as described
above makes it difficult for single cheetahs to move in. This explains why the number of
individual cheetahs decreased from nine animals in 2005 to five animals in 2006. In 2007
game numbers on the open farmland increased and prey composition was dominated by
kudu instead of oryx. Living conditions for cheetahs became more favourable again and
the number of cheetahs increased to seven individuals.
2.7. Poaching
2.7.1. Introduction
Poaching activities are one of the most serious threats to wildlife populations. Usually
poachers on Namibian farmland work with dogs and donkeys and they often destroy
fences by cutting wires. Since Okomitundu borders onto Otjimbingwe (a housing estate of
landless people) as well as two resettlement farms, the farm boundaries need to be
checked regularly. Throughout the year this effort cannot be sustained on a daily basis.
First of all the total fence line is about 70 km, secondly some parts of the fence are difficult
to access, and thirdly there is simply no time for the limited number of farm staff to do this.
During expeditions it is therefore a great asset to the study site to have the manpower
necessary to check parts of the border fence frequently. Scientifically this activity aims to
gather information about large carnivore tracks entering or leaving the core area and about
poaching activity.
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� Okatumba Wildlife Research
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