Namibia Lion Trust is working to protect the large carnivores of Namibia. It believes in conservation through education, aiming to create a peaceful existence between wildlife (especially the large carnivores) and local communities
The Namibia Lion Trust has been through a bit of a journey itself. It was launched in 2020, having been AfriCatNorth. AfriCat North was primarily the AfriCat Foundation field base for lion research, human-wildlife conflict mitigation and community support. The Trust’s slogan is For Lions, For Life and For Our Future, and it’s dedicated to lions. It’s Reg #T298/2019.
Livestock Protection – creating “bomas”, i.e. enclosures to keep large predators out and livestock safe inside
Early Warning and Rapid Response – Lion Guards elected by their own community to help mitigate the lion-human conflict. They identify hot spots, support with the erectionof bomas, install LionLights, patrol to protect wildlife and encourage greater tolerance of conflict with wildlife. They also share information about the whereabouts of wildlife with the research team conservancy committees and their communities.
Fence Boundary Programme in a human-wildlife conflict hot-spot area. It’s cattle proof but has fallen into disrepair – it was put up in the 1960s and needs to be reconstructed.
You or your company could also sponsor a community school, the Education Programme, a Livestock Protection Boma, Tracking Equipment, a research vehicle or essential salaries.
100 years ago, 200,000 lions lived across the African continent.
Today, we are in the sorry position where less than 20,000 remain. They have been extirpated form 26 countries, owing to habitat loss, conflict with people and poaching.
Conservation organisation African Parks rehabiliates and manages 18 national parks and protected areas in 11 countries, covering an enormous 14.1 million hectares, in partnership with governments and local communities.
African Parks is creating safe havens for lions, increasing their range and bringing them back to places where they haven't existed for decades. They have been undertaking monitoring and research and mitigating human-lion conflict. For lions are found in 8 of the parks they manage.
Creating Safe Havens to Stop Lion Poaching. Protecting wildlife from poaching and other illegal activities is vital in the parks the organisation manages. It fenced Liwonde National Park, hired and trained a bigger and better equipped ranger unit and used technoloy to monitor wildlife and defeat poaching. It works to remove snares, and prevent wildlife-human conflict.
Investing in Education and Local Communities - African Parks employs locals and invests in education, and it attracts tourists. It knows that creating a relationship between people and lions is really important.
Reintroducing Lions to Historic Habitats - They were reintroduced to Akagera, Majete, and Liwonde after poachers had eliminated them from these areas. The park is assessed first to see how viable it is to bring key species back.
But the coronavirus is having a huge and devastating impact on conservation efforts across Africa, as tourism has collapsed and philanthropic giving has dropped.
A group of over 60 acclaimed wildlife photographers from around the world have got together to create a fundraising campaign to help protect critical ecosystems and local communities. It's called Prints for Wildlife. There are some simply incredible pictures there - do take a look and spread the word. So far, $300,000 have been raised. Prints for Wildlife runs from 26 July to 26 August 2020. All the funds collected via the print sale go directly to conservation non-profit African Parks.
Buying a print would be a great way to help wildlife, including lions!
While the human race is battling against the coronavirus with 213 countries affected, wildlife are far from immune from it either.
Elephants, rhinos, pangolins and gorillas all needed wildlife rangers to protect them. Wildlife conservation groups are faced with the challenge of continuing to protect wildlife and fight poaching whilst budgets are cut and the income wildlife tourism brings to help is virtually non-existent as there are no tourists.
Enter Avaaz, a 60 million person global campaign network, with petitions to change the world and appeals to make a difference to those who need it.
An army of 40,000 rangers once protected elephants, rhinos, pangolins and gorillas – and these are in danger of losing their jobs, leaving wildlife at the mercy of poachers and criminal gangs and syndicates.
A team of undercover investigators are working round the clock to rack and prosecute poaching rings in 9 African countries and they are jailing thousands.
Their funding is on the rocks. Wildlife need us to give them our support, however much that is.
This is a chance to help vulnerable wildlife. We can help lock up more criminals, expose international trafficking networks and accelerate global campaigns to protect nature and save vulnerable species.
Please donate what you can now. If we all donated the cost of a coffee, that would make a big difference.
Avaaz has funded these defenders before from the group EAGLE. Recently they infiltrated a big illegal trafficking ring. They uncovered nearly 2 tons of pangolin scales, exposing the kingpins and crippling an international network of criminals. Crucially, they ensure those who are jailed don’t bribe their way out.
The Foundation’s needs are absolutely focused on supporting the Rangers’ needs, the emphasis being on supporting rangers in low-income countries and areas where there are conflict:
Train the trainer
Equip anti-poaching ranger patrol teams
Financial lifelines to families of rangers who have died
Critical funding to frontline projects e.g. Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Israel, Uganda, Sumatra, Thailand, Mexico, Brazil, Solomon Islands
Rangers fulfil all sorts of duties including removing snares set to trap wildlife, monitoring wildlife, doing drone surveys, engaging the community and promoting alternative forms of livelihood. They have training in fighting fires too.
As the dangers facing them increase and criminal gangs and syndicates become more aggressive and better armed, rangers really are putting themselves in danger so it’s vital to ensure that they go out on patrol with the right equipment and training and back-up – and the knowledge that they are supported.
World Ranger Day (31 July every year) is all about taking a moment to reflect on the courage of wildlife rangers and the sacrifice they make or are prepared to make to protect wildlife on the front line.
Post on social media using #WorldRangerDay #StandWithRangers #NaturesProtectors
Show support by adding the “I stand with Rangers” frame to your Facebook and Twitter profile pictures – these are available from the Thin Green Line’s website.
Take a moment to honour fallen rangers. You can see the list of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our cherished wildlife. There is a 2020 Honour Roll and 2009-2020 In Memoriam. Please let’s think of the families they leave behind, too.
I would like to add two more:
Spread the word about the Thin Green Line Foundation and the amazing work that rangers do around the world.
Donate if you can. Times are difficult for many but even if we can spare the cost of a take-out coffee or a glass of wine, that will help.
If you’ve wondered what it’s like being involved in wildlife ranger work, take a look at this video from the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.
Lewa serves as a safe refuge for wildlife such as the black rhino, Grevy's Zebra, elephant, lion, giraffe, wild dog and other iconic wildlife species in Kenya. It is also home to over 400 species of birds.
John Pameri is in charge of rhino monitoring, the management of Lewa’s entry points and radio communication.
He walked 100 kilometres to Lewa when he was 18 because his dream was to have a job protecting wildlife.
Twenty five years later, John Pameri is Head of General Security with the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.
Find out more about John by taking a look at this video below.
A big thank you to John, his rangers and everyone at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy for all you do to protect wildlife and to bring peace and stability to the regions you work in.
Lewa sees a future where everyoneo in Kenya values, protects and benefits form wildlife, so that communities can derive their day to day livelihoods in ways that are compatable with wildlife habitat. Lewa invests in programmes such as education, water, health care, micro-enterprise and youth empowerment.
