Caprivi, Kavango game bonanza

BWABWATA ELLANIE SMIT The number of wildlife has increased considerably in the Caprivi and the Kavango regions, but fish resources have taken a dive. And although the game increase attracts more visitors to the regions, it also contributes to more incidents of wildlife/human conflict. Since Namibia gained independence, game in the Caprivi and Kavango Regions has multiplied. Eland, sable and giraffe species that was locally extinct for decades in the Eastern Caprivi now grace national parks and communal areas after being translocated into the area in 2006. Four of the big five - elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard - are found here, while the rare African wild dog is also occasionally glimpsed. According to the recently-launched Namibian Component Integrated Development Plan for the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) document, wildlife populations in general are increasing in the area. This is largely due to breeding, the reduction of poaching, game translocations and immigrations from neighbouring countries. The Namibian component of KAZA consists of the North-East Parks, and includes the State Forest Area, registered conservancies, as well as community forests. In the Muduma North Complex, elephant sightings have increased from 334 in 2005 to 2551 in 2011. Buffalo sightings increased from 45 to 1 828 during the same period, while the sightings of lion increased from zero to 14. Sightings of sable increased from 29 to 518 and giraffe from 16 to 123. According to the recent publication, the buffalo breeding programme in the Nyae-Nyae Conservancy has been a success. Between 1991 and 2011, a total of 3 674 animals were also translocated to the conservancy. However, the number of red lechwe have dropped in the Nkasa Rupara National Park and there is also a concern about rising numbers of elephant in the Khaudum National Park, in relation to the availability of water and the impact on other species. The increasing wildlife population also implies that there will be more conflict between human and wildlife. The highest number of conflict between wildlife and humans since 2006 has been reported in the Caprivi Region, which recorded the highest crop damage as well. One of the major challenges still remains land use in the Caprivi and the Kavango regions, as people will start farming on the boundaries of parks. This also contributed to more incidents of human/wildlife conflict. The average total cost of damages that have occurred with regard to human/wildlife conflict in the KAZA Namibia component has amounted to N$1,031 million. According to the report, information also suggests that there is a degradation of fish resources throughout the area, mainly due to fishing pressure from communities, as well as outsiders utilising resources for both artisanal and commercial purposes. Namibia currently enforces no closed fishing season, however, various interventions are planned, such as the establishment of protected areas. Some aquaculture programmes have also been established, but they have largely been unsuccessful.