Clemans Miyanicwe

KHORIXAS – Eighty-nine livestock have been killed by various predators in Tsiseb conservancy in Erongo Region since September last year.

This was confirmed on Friday by Riaan /Awarab, national resource management coordinator for the Tsiseb conservancy. The livestock killed include 43 sheep, 35 goats, six donkeys and five cattle. Three goats and five cattle were killed last year by lions in the conservancy, where predators such as cheetah, spotted hyenas, leopards and jackals are also culprits.
“Tsiseb conservancy does community training and awareness on our human and wildlife conflict policy to educate its members on the issue,” /Awarab said.

Members of Tsiseb conservancy benefit from sustainable harvesting of game. /Awarab also said the community is well aware of predators, and shepherds are employed to prevent predators from attacking livestock by the local farming communities. No human life has been lost to such problem for the past few years, he confirmed. 

Communities are also encouraged to build predator-proof kraals to protect their livestock from wild animals.
Elephants mostly damage water infrastructure, houses and kraals in Tsiseb conservancy. “There are few crop damages as it (crop farming) is not practised that much,” /Awarab said. “It’s very important for the community to protect wildlife as it brings sustainable development in the community through employment and other benefits from the conservancy,” /Awarab emphasised when asked about the importance of protecting wildlife, including predators despite their killing of livestock.
 “It’s very important for the community to protect wildlife as it brings sustainable development in the community through employment and other benefits from the conservancy,” /Awarab told this reporter.

The conservancy rakes in revenue of about N$400 000 annually, according to /Awarab.
Tsiseb conservancy also has resources rangers’ patrol, fixed route patrol, area meetings, and also educates its members through the annual general meeting.

A wildlife credit scheme has been created in order to compensate farmers for their losses on wildlife. 
Dauredaman Traditional Authority chief Sakarias Seibeb was concerned about predators which at times attack livestock in the kraals.

“It’s a concern that at times predators such as lions before they were relocated, attacked livestock in the kraals. Lions, before they were relocated, attempted to get into kraals and when they failed, they sat and watched people’s houses,” he said.

While other predators too killed livestock in the area, lions were mostly blamed. Problem lions were relocated to the Khomas Region a few months ago.

The Dauredaman Traditional Authority’s jurisdiction includes both the Tsiseb conservancy in Erongo Region and Sorri Sorris conservancy in the Kunene Region. 
According to the chief, after the lions’ relocation, hyenas have taken over as the most vicious predators in the 
area.