The AfriCat Foundation was founded
in 1991 on Okonjima Farm in central Namibia. Their mission was to contribute to
the long term protection and conservation of Namibia’s large carnivores, particularly
big cats.
There is constant conflict between
the large carnivores of Namibia and farmers. Large cats have been known to
wander into farmer’s land from protected wilderness areas and kill livestock.
Since 1993, AfriCat has saved over 1080 large carnivores trapped on farm land
and successfully released over 85% of them. Those animals that could not be
released, such as if they were orphaned, weak, or old, are cared for in the
AfriCat Carnivore Care Centre.
Over the years the AfriCat
Foundation has worked to increase education and public support for the
conservation of large carnivores as well as human wildlife conflict mitigation
strategies. Conservation through education is a large part of their current
program. As of 2010, Okonjima Nature Reserve was created as an area for “environmental
education and the research and rehabilitation of captive carnivores”. Tourists
can come visit the reserve and support the foundation’s work.
- Stephanie Sila
Who founded the foundation? I'm curious if it's an indigenous Namibian effort, or the work of someone foreign. Is it related to the communal conservancies at all?
ReplyDeleteAre there organizations that deal with other species? Big cats are only one of many animals stranded and killed on farmlands.
ReplyDelete-Mark Buckup