Kalahari African Wild Dog Trust
NAME | Kalahari African Wild Dog Trust |
COUNTRY | Namibia |
REGION | Northeastern Namibia |
COMMENCED | 2021 |
AREAS OF FOCUS | Monitoring, Research, Anti-poaching, Community, Education, Awareness, Rehabilitation Habitat Conservation |
NO OF PAINTED WOLVES IN THE AREA | 120 |
KEY PERSONNEL | Nadja Le Roux, Project Leader |
The Kalahari African Wild Dog Trust is committed to the conservation of Namibia’s painted wolves outside of National Parks and protected areas.
The project works in northeastern Namibia in the Nyae Nyae and N#aJaqna Communal Conservancies, Khaudum National Park and neighbouring privately owned commercial livestock farms and game ranches. It aims to identify potential solutions through research, monitoring, collaboration and human wildlife conflict mitigation in order to gain a better understanding of painted wolf ecology outside of protected areas, and the threats facing them. Operations on the ground are carried out alongside community-based organizations in the area, most importantly the marginalized Ju/’hoan San Master Trackers, using local knowledge and skills. The project collaborates with numerous partners, stakeholders, line Ministries and support organizations.
The area is home to approximately one third of Namibia’s painted wolf population (estimated at 350) and is part of the dynamic transboundary population of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area. Major threats in the area include habitat loss and fragmentation, prey availability, conflict with other predators, and road mortalities. Likely the largest threat, however, is conflict with farming communities, who actively persecute painted wolves, often wiping out entire packs.
The project aims to build a baseline understanding of the painted wolf population, as well as the threats facing the population. Working with communities and other stakeholders, the project also aims to build conflict mitigation programmes. While painted wolves are the focus and flagship, the project has a holistic approach addressing multiple wildlife species causing HWC and safeguarding community’s livelihoods.