Large Carnivore Atlas 

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Predators

This project aims to establish baseline bio-diversity information that will aid all relevant conservation organisations and the Government of Namibia to develop and implement effective conservation strategies, and formulate appropriate policies. The baseline information will also be crucial to all conservancies and farmers in developing tourism and sustainable trophy hunting enterprises.  Once baseline data on large carnivore populations are in place then systems, such as eco-tourism can be implemented, where people can benefit from the large carnivore species that live in their area therefore increasing the tolerance and acceptance of people towards these animals.  By increasing people’s tolerance of large carnivores on their land we can actually create suitable habitat.  In ideal situations large carnivores, traditionally a threat and a burden could become an asset.

The atlas depends on the tourism industry, conservancies, farmers, Government employees, and all other interested parties for reporting observations of large carnivores. In collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) a communication network has been established where attractive, icon based data forms, are being distributed to all relevant parties. Completed forms are being returned to a central point.  Observation data are then entered on a specially developed database on a computer designated only for atlas data management. The forms also allow details of any collars or brand marks on the animal to be recorded. This allows information to be built up about the movements of individual animals.

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