Evidence-Based Conservation

The N/a’an ku sê Journey from Rescue to Research

Both my family and Marlice’s family were livestock farmers in the Nina and Drimiopsis areas. My grandfather farmed on Lorraine near Nina, while Marlice’s grandfathers farmed on Tennessee and Nicholsrus. During the 1970s and 1980s, commercial farmland in Namibia was highly valued if it had minimal wildlife presence, as wildlife competed for grazing resources and predators such as cheetahs, leopards, and caracals posed significant risks to livestock. At that time, Harnas was the only place in Namibia that accepted injured, orphaned, or problematic animals from farmers who preferred not to shoot them. Marieta van der Merwe and her family lived there, and she, along with Marlice, became synonymous with wildlife care.

Fast forward 30 years: we established Naankuse, located 45 km east of Windhoek, primarily because Marlice needed a place to care for animals brought to her or sent by her mother from Harnas. Living on Nelson Mandela Avenue in Klein Windhoek, where Utopia is today, was impractical, especially when a lion from Harnas required veterinary care. In 2007, we opened Naankuse, providing Marlice with a dedicated space to care for animals. During this time, I met Florian Weise, a young biologist interested in studying the conflict between farmers and carnivores. I found his research intriguing and collaborated with him to establish the Naankuse Research Unit. Our goal was to investigate human-wildlife conflict and explore potential mitigation strategies. It became evident that not all animals brought to Marlice should be kept in captivity indefinitely; we needed effective ways to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and keep wild animals in their natural habitats.

Our journey began in 2008, expanding from our initial research on carnivores to various other species that come into conflict with humans. We gained significant insights, and Florian eventually completed his PhD in 2016. We discovered the drivers of conflict and learned that relocating a carnivore, like a cheetah, from a conflict zone to a safe area requires a minimum threshold distance to prevent homing instincts. We also found that cheetahs quickly become habituated to humans, which leads to poor outcomes if they’re released into open ecosystems. We also learned that 80% of Namibia’s cheetahs live outside protected areas, on commercial and communal farmlands, making farmers crucial stakeholders in conflict mitigation. By collaring and releasing “problem” carnivores caught by farmers and sharing collar data with them, we reduced conflict by 80%, as farmers often realized the perceived problem animal was not the real issue.

Many landowners became actively involved in the research, offering valuable insights into the behaviour of collared carnivores. Our research continues today, supported by several permits and numerous published scientific articles. We conduct research to solve real-world challenges, producing evidence that informs laws, regulations, and strategies to conserve Namibia’s landscapes, protect wildlife, and improve the lives of its people. Our work is focused on evidence-based conservation and social upliftment programmes, not merely academic achievement.