The needs of emerging commercial farmers in Namibia in relation to human-carnivore conflict

Abstract

Carnivore species globally are on the decline and population extinctions continue despite intensive conservation efforts. In Namibia, although 13.6 % of the country falls under the protection of national parks or game reserves, most of these protected areas are situated along the coastline and are desert habitat. The majority of Namibia's cheetah population (over 90 %), which is also the world's largest free-ranging population, occurs on privately owned farmland situated primarily in the north-central cattle-farming region of the country. Also occurring here are leopard, brown hyaena, caracal, and jackal and in some areas African wild dog, spotted hyaena and lion. Given the extensive nature of livestock and wildlife farming in Namibia, the low human density in rural areas and the persistence of wildlife outside protected areas, there is still considerable scope for carnivore conservation on the Namibian freehold farmlands, provided human-carnivore conflict can be managed. Great strides have been made in Namibia in developing strategies to address human carnivore conflict issues with formerly advantaged freehold farmers. However, since Namibia's independence in 1990, land reform has resulted in a new category of farmer entering the freehold farming sector, the emerging commercial farmer. No data has been gathered regarding emerging commercial farmers' attitudes and perceptions towards carnivores, the levels of camivore-conflict and livestock management practices in relation to livestock losses to carnivores.