Protected areas of Namibia
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File:Namibia protected areas.svg
The protected areas of Namibia include its national parks and reserves. With the 2010 declaration of Dorob National Park, Namibia became the first and only country to have its entire coastline protected through a national parks network.{{cite web|last=Dusenbery|first=Kelly|title=Namibia|url=http://natureneedshalf.org/namibia/|work=natureneedshalf.org|accessdate=5 May 2013}} Protected areas are subdivided into game reserves and/or nature reserves, such as special protected area, wilderness areas, natural areas, and development areas. There are also recreation reserves.{{cite book|author1=World Conservation Monitoring Ce|author2=IUCN Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas|title=Protected Areas of the World: Afrotropical. – 1991|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GAtfSkr1q6sC&pg=PT210|year=1991|publisher=IUCN|isbn=978-2-8317-0092-2|pages=210–}} Facilities in the national parks are operated by Namibia Wildlife Resorts.{{cite book|last1=Armstrong|first1=Kate|last2=Bainbridge|first2=James|last3=Firestone|first3=Matthew D.|title=Southern Africa 5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oMKf-rqYjFgC&pg=PA303|year=2010|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74059-545-2|pages=303–}} Over 19% of Namibia is protected, an area of some 130,000 square kilometres.{{cite web|url=http://www.met.gov.na/Pages/Protectedareas.aspx|publisher=Ministry of Environment & Tourism|title=Protected Areas|access-date=5 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918062557/http://www.met.gov.na/Pages/Protectedareas.aspx|archive-date=18 September 2012|url-status=dead}} However, the Ministry of Environment & Tourism auctions limited hunting rights within its protected areas. The Namibia Nature Foundation, an NGO, was established in 1987 to raise and administer funds for the conservation of wildlife and protected area management. Communal Wildlife Conservancies in Namibia help promote sustainable natural resource management by giving local communities rights to wildlife management and tourism.
National parks
Nature reserves
= Cape Cross Seal Reserve=
File:Cape Cross Seal Colony.jpgs in the Cape Cross Seal Reserve]]
Cape Cross is a protected area under the name Cape Cross Seal Reserve. The reserve is the home of one of the largest colonies of Cape fur seals in the world.{{cite web|url=http://www.namibian.org/travel/namibia/cape-cross.html|title=Cape Cross – Namibia|publisher=Namibian.org|accessdate=8 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211111435/http://www.namibian.org/travel/namibia/cape-cross.html|archive-date=11 February 2010|url-status=dead}}
Cape Cross is one of two main sites in Namibia where seals are culled, partly for selling their hides and partly for protecting the fish stock. The economic impact of seals on the fish resources is controversial: While a government-initiated study found that seal colonies consume more fish than the entire fishing industry can catch,{{cite news|newspaper=The Namibian|last=Weidlich|first=Brigitte|title=Seal quota down for this season|url=http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=36659&no_cache=1|date=28 June 2007|accessdate=8 May 2013}} animal protection society Seal Alert South Africa estimated less than 0.3% losses to commercial fisheries.{{cite news|newspaper=The Namibian|title=Time for Namibia to see the tourism value of seals|url=http://www.namibian.com.na/news/environment/full-story/archive/2010/june/article/time-for-namibia-to-see-the-tourism-value-of-seals/|date=17 June 2010|accessdate=8 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317022720/http://www.namibian.com.na/news/environment/full-story/archive/2010/june/article/time-for-namibia-to-see-the-tourism-value-of-seals/|archive-date=17 March 2012|url-status=dead}}
= Daan Viljoen Game Reserve=
File:Blue wildebeest from rear.jpg
The Daan Viljoen Game Reserve is a game reserve near Windhoek, situated in the hill area of Khomas Hochland.{{cite book|last1=Tonchi|first1=Victor L.|last2=Lindeke|first2=William A.|last3=Grotpeter|first3=John J.|title=Historical Dictionary of Namibia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VUkGQ6xfYkgC&pg=PA69|date=31 August 2012|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-7990-4|pages=69–}} Over 200 species are found here, typical of the Namibian highlands, including Hartmann's mountain zebra, blue wildebeest, kudu, gemsbok, springbok, impala, rockrunner, white-tailed shrike, Monteiro's hornbill, Bradfield's swift, Rüppell's parrot and Carp's tit. In the 1990s a number of indigenous people in the area were resettled by the Namibian government. The park has many walking paths and allows tourists to travel around by themselves. It closed in 2010 to allow for the construction of the Sun Karros Daan Viljoen Lodge but has since reopened.
=Hardap Recreation Resort=
Hardap Recreation Resort surrounds Namibia's largest Hardap Dam, which opened in 1964 as a recreational area.{{cite book|author=IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre|author2=United Nations Environment Programme |author3=Global Environmental Monitoring System |title=IUCN directory of Afrotropical protected areas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lbEmjKZh4Q0C|accessdate=8 May 2013|date=1 August 1987|publisher=IUCN|page=452|isbn=9782880328047 }} Listed under IUCN Category IV, as of 2004 the park it covered an area of {{convert|252|km2}}, of which about 10% formed the lake area.{{cite book|last1=Stuart|first1=Chris|last2=Stuart|first2=Tilde|title=Guide to Southern African Game & Nature Reserves|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kQjQl1pZ4KQC|accessdate=8 May 2013|year=1997|publisher=Passport Books|isbn=978-0-8442-8966-3|page=287}} As Reader's Digest said though, "ironically, although Hardap is one of Namibia's best-known resorts, the nature reserve is unfamiliar to the large majority of visitors."{{cite book|last1=Duggan|first1=Alan|last2=Hocking|first2=Anthony|title=Reader's digest illustrated guide to the game parks and nature reserves of Southern Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UaTDKUpeYcgC|accessdate=8 May 2013|date=1 April 1993|publisher=Reader's Digest Association of South Africa|isbn=978-0-947008-66-6|page=293}} It contains over 100 species of birds.
=Popa Game Park=
The Popa Game Park is a small park where the Popa water fall, which drops by only 3 m over rapids on the Okavango River, is situated. Its thunderous sound is heard over a long distance. Bird species are a common sight and hippopotamus inhabit the river.{{cite book|author=ebizguides|title=Namibia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NcsUr8BkqAUC&pg=PA278|accessdate=9 May 2013|date=May 2008|publisher=MTH Multimedia S.L.|isbn=978-84-935202-1-2|pages=278–}}
Communal Area Conservancies
{{Main|Communal wildlife conservancies in Namibia}}
There is a number of gazetted communal conservancies in Namibia.
= African Wild Dog Conservancy =
African Wild Dog Conservancy is a registered community-based conservation area in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia, covering 3,824 km2 (1,476 sq mi), with an approximate human population of 4,713 people. It was established through a governmental declaration in 2005.
=Ehirovipuka Conservancy=
Ehirovipuka Conservancy is a gazetted communal area conservancy situated in the Kunene Region. It was established in January 2001 and covers an area of {{convert|1980|km2}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.nacso.org.na/SOC_profiles/conservancyprofile.php?ConsNum=13|title=Ehi-Rovipuka Conservancy |publisher=NACSO|accessdate=8 May 2013}} The reserve consists of mainly semi-desert and savannah woodlands, and the Ombonde River flows through the area. Animals living there include African bush elephant, African leopard, lion, South African cheetah, common eland, kudu, duiker, warthog, steenbok, gemsbok, Angolan giraffe, springbok, South African ostrich, and Hartman's mountain zebra.{{cite news |title=Rare Animals Extend Their Range |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200809170693.html |work=The Namibian |date=17 September 2008 |accessdate=8 May 2013 }}{{cite news |title=Hobatere's 'Old Boy' Killed |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201011080194.html |work=The Namibian |date=8 November 2010 |accessdate=8 May 2013 }} It contains a meat processing plant supplying tourist lodges.{{cite news |title=NWR's Dolomite Camp opens 2011 |url=http://www.southerntimesafrica.com/article.php?title=NWR%27s_Dolomite_Camp_opens_2011___&id=4276 |work=The Southern Times |date=18 June 2010 |accessdate=8 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906090315/https://southerntimesafrica.com/article.php?title=NWR%27s_Dolomite_Camp_opens_2011___&id=4276 |archive-date=6 September 2018 |url-status=dead }} Other economic activity includes forestry and the sale of traditional craft products.{{cite report |last=Bandyopadhyay |first=Sushenjit |author2=Juan Carlos Guzman |author3=Selma Lendelvo |url=http://metdev.gijima.com.na/Documents/Conservancies.pdf |title=Communal conservancies and household welfare in Namibia |publisher=Directorate of Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Tourism |date=January 2010 |accessdate=8 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425051739/http://metdev.gijima.com.na/Documents/Conservancies.pdf |archivedate=25 April 2012 |url-status=dead }} Ehirovipuka Conservancy received a 20-year tourism concession in 2010.{{cite news |title=Govt approves concessions |url=http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=65321&no_cache=1 |work=The Namibian |date=3 March 2010 |accessdate=8 May 2013}}{{cite news |title=Tourism Concessions Can Empower Rural Communities |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201003090172.html |work=Namibia Economist |date=5 March 2010 |accessdate=8 May 2013}}
Private Game Reserves
=Erindi Private Game Reserve =
The Erindi Game Reserve ('Erendi' meaning "Place of Water") is in the heart land of Namibia and covers an area of 70,000ha. It is located 40 km to the east of Omaruru town and lies between the Erongo Mountain Rhino Sanctuary Trust of Namibia and the Omatako Mountains. Habitats recorded are of mountainous areas, riverine vegetation, inselbergs and grassland savannahs. Leopard research is an important activity in the reserve. It also has a notable population of south-western black rhinoceros, lion, brown hyena, leopard and cheetah.{{cite web|url=http://www.namibiareservations.com/erindi.html|title=Erindi Game Reserve|accessdate=9 May 2013|publisher= Namibia Reservations.com}}
= Gamsberg Nature Reserve=
Gamsberg Nature Reserve is in central Namibia, located west of Rehoboth. It surrounds Gamsberg, Namibia's fourth highest mountain, with a peak elevation of {{convert|2347|m}}.{{cite book|title=Namibia Holiday & Travel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bS11AAAAMAAJ|accessdate=8 May 2013|year=2004|publisher=Advantage Travel Publications}}
=Naankuse Wildlife Sanctuary=
File:Naankuse Lucky the cheetah.jpg.]]
The Naankuse Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of 3,200 ha which is a sanctuary for orphaned animals. Some of the animals tended are lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, caracals and baboons. The animals reported in the wild of the sanctuary are giraffe, zebra, kudu, hartebeest, springbok, eland, jackal and also wild cheetahs and leopards.{{cite web|url=http://www.naankuse.com/wildlife-sanctuary.html|title=Wildlife Sanctuary|accessdate=9 May 2013|publisher=Official website of Naankuse Sanctuary|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130629223807/http://www.naankuse.com/wildlife-sanctuary.html|archive-date=29 June 2013|url-status=dead}} The sanctuary has developed a new method to identify cheetahs in the wild based on their paw prints. This is done in association with Wildtrack, AfriCat and Chester Zoo.{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8261000/8261358.stm|title= Fingerprints' identify cheetahs|accessdate=9 May 2013|publisher=BBS Earth News|first=Jody|last=Bourton|date=23 September 2009}}
=NamibRand Nature Reserve=
The NamibRand Nature Reserve is a private nature reserve (largest such reserve in Africa) covering an area of 202,200 ha with four habitats of dunes and sandy plains, inselbergs and mountains gravel plains, and sand and gravel plains interface. The largest number of oryx (gemsbok or oryx) (3,200) and Antidorcas marsupialis (springbok) (12,400) are the dominant mammal species in the reserve. 150 bird species of birds are also reported. Other wild animals which are predators, recorded in the reserve are leopard, spotted and brown hyena, black-backed jackal, aardwolf, bat-eared fox, Cape fox, Southern African wildcat, caracal and genet.{{cite web|url=http://www.namibrand.org/|title=NamibRand Nature Reserve|accessdate=9 May 2013|publisher=Official website of Namibrand.org}}{{cite web|url=http://www.namibrand.org/Conservation.htm|title=NamibRand Nature Reserve Conservation|accessdate=9 May 2013|publisher=Official website of Namibrand.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328114725/http://www.namibrand.org/Conservation.htm|archive-date=28 March 2012|url-status=dead}}
=Tsaobis Leopard Park=
The Tsaobis Leopard Park is the only nature reserve in Namibia to conserve leopards in particular.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EnVJYgfwjt4C&pg=PA115 |page=115 |publisher=Lonely Planet |year=2009 |isbn=9781741042108 |title=Watching Wildlife: Southern Africa : South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia }} Situated south of Karibib and east of Swakopmund, it was established in 1969.{{cite book|last1=Hardy|first1=Paula|last2=Firestone|first2=Matthew D.|title=Botswana and Namibia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kN2FqKI2ip0C&pg=PA244|accessdate=18 August 2011|date=15 February 2007|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74104-760-8|page=244}}
File:Sandfontein Nature Reserve - a snapshot of the 200,000 acre reserve.jpg
= Sandfontein Nature Reserve =
Sandfontein Nature Reserve is located in southern Namibia near the Orange River. The nature reserve covers an area over 200,000 acres and is home to many species of animal including aardvark, aardwolf, baboon, black backed jackal, cape clawless otter, eland, gemsbok (oryx), giraffe, Hartmann's zebra, klipspringer, kudu, leopard, ostrich, red hartebeest, rock hyrax, springbok, steenbok and wild donkey.
Transboundary Protected Areas
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The protection is not necessarily limited to inside the borders of Namibia. In 2007 the Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, an international peace park, was created through the joint management of the Ai-Ais Hot Springs park, which includes parts of Fish River Canyon, and the Richtersveld National Park in neighbouring South Africa. Fauna includes rock hyrax, ground squirrel, jackal buzzard and Hartmann's mountain zebra.
In 2006, the countries of Namibia, Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana signed an agreement creating the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, a vast expanse of land designated primarily "'to establish a world-class transfrontier conservation area and tourism destination in the Okavango and Zambezi river-basin regions within the context of sustainable development", by linking different habitats and allowing animals the freedom of movement throughout this region of Africa.
In 2018 the governments of Namibia and Angola agreed on the creation of Iona – Skeleton Coast Transfrontier Conservation Area.{{cite web |title=About- Skeleton Coast Transfrontier Park and the SCIONA project |url=http://sciona.nust.na/about |publisher=Namibia University of Science and Technology |access-date=16 June 2024}} This trans-border coastal park is formed by Angola's Iona National Park and Namibe Partial Reserve and Namibia's Skeleton Coast National Park.
References
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External links
- {{Official website|http://www.met.gov.na/Pages/Protectedareas.aspx}} of the Republic of Namibia, Ministry of Environment & Tourism
{{commons category}}
{{National Parks of Namibia}}
{{Africa topic|Protected areas of}}