Lion collaring campaign february 2022

Tuesday 8 March 2022

22/02 Palmwag and Etendeka

Morning strategic meeting with U.Muzuma (MEFT) and Lion ranger team leaders Linus and Alu. Checking latest positions on targeted lions on DLP server. Phoning Denis Liebenberg at Etendeka Mountain Camp for lion’s information. They were spotted 3 days ago. MEFT helicopter also spots them the same morning. We send Alu’s team on the ground, U.Muzuma from MEFT and F.Vallat from DLT joins them with the helicopter.

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Vets Markus Hofmeyer and Axel Hartman successfully dart the lion in difficult conditions at 1pm from the chopper. A new satellite collar from Wide Horizon is tested on the ground on fitted on XPL107, which old one has been out of order for months. This is a high priority lion Detailed pictures of the lion’s paws, tail and whiskers are taken. Age estimation is 7/8+ years old. Lean but healthy condition. Estimate weight of 170kg. Blood samples are taken. Thanks to MEFT, Vets, Wide horizon and the lion rangers for making this possible.

  

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23/02 Otjiupa

An adult lioness OPL4 has been observed with a supposedly tight collar in 2021. The lioness has been located by helicopter with the rest of her pride and successfully immobilized. The collar was properly checked and there was no need of loosening it. The female is pregnant in her first trimester and is in good body condition.

The Aub pride (XPL136 and 83) has been monitored and observed feeding on a giraffe kill. They are all healthy.​​

Opl-4​  

 

24/02 Aerial Survey

Areas of central Damaraland, Dorob crater and plains between the Huab and the Ugab have been flew over. New grass will help the predator’s prey population to recover, which is still very scarce now, except for giraffes. A lion track survey of particular areas of Torra Conservancy ad Klip River has been done by the Lion rangers and Human Wildlife Support team.

Southeast part of Kunene has received good rainfalls, rivers have been running strong and game like Springbok has been seen grazing along the road.​ Our basecamp at SRT Palmwag. Uniab river has been flowing strong.

Special thanks to NCE (Namibia Chamber of Environment) and Westair for providing the plane. We have to emphasize and acknowledge the excellent collaboration between MEFT, lion rangers and Human Wildlife Support team.

 

25/02 Lion Workshop

​A meeting has been held in Kamanjab with the lionlandscape stakeholders (MEFT, CCFN, TOSCO, IRDNC, DLT, NLT, WWF) about how lion’s benefits could be directed to communities and conservancies who share land with them. It was the opportunity to gather and confirm the following active collar information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

An early warning logger has been visited for maintenance and repair at Lantine Pos, south of the Hobatere Fence. Lazarus from Namibia Lion Trust, Wide Horizon, local farmer and IRDNC are thanked for their cooperation and assistance.

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