Thanks to conservation fees Journeys Namibia and Wildlife Initiative will be able to conduct the camera trapping project aimed to understand the behavior of large carnivores in #Khoadi//Hoas Conservancy. The long-term camera trapping survey will be necessary for estimating the population density of lions, leopards, and spotted hyenas, and analyzing the trend. By studying their behaviour we will be able to understand the peak of large carnivores’ activity and their spatial use (movements) over the seasons.
Moreover, we will be able to concretely mitigate human-carnivores conflicts by adopting FoxLiights, which are being distributed to those families living nearby the “herding off-limits area” where most large carnivores occur. These multi-colored, solar-powered flashing lights switch automatically on and off, after dark, resembling a herder patrolling with a flashlight, which keeps predators away. Their effectiveness has been proved across the planet with all species belonging to Panthera genus.
When necessary, we will equip the most “problematic” big cats, with radio collars for tracking and creating virtual fences. Proximity-based sensors will deliver auditory or visual alarms when the big cats are close to a predefined perimeter. It will discourage the big cats to attack livestock, and warn the herders once it is nearby their living area, to provide for a safer corral and better guarding.
Finally, local community people will be involved in the mitigation of human-carnivores conflict, by collecting data on livestock losses due to carnivores. It enhances the interest and awareness of the local community toward the conservation measures that will be implemented and proposed, and represent an alternative income for the families involved in the monitoring.
The conservation fees will cover part of the cost to buy camera traps (which need to be continuously replaced), buying the radio collars, and paying the local conservationists’ salaries.