Naankuse Namibia Predator Research Project

DO

As a volunteer, your role will be very hands-on. Depending on the animals being studied, you’ll get involved in the following activities:

Wildlife research

Our Predator Research Experience is centred around two permanent carnivore research sites and a huge area of Namibia’s desert. Monitoring animals in this environment, you’ll have to use a variety of research techniques.

• Set up camera traps for 24/7 monitoring of wildlife
• Analyse footage to help build a database of the region’s predator population
• Identify hyena groups and study their social structures
• Capture, collar and release wild predators to track their movements
• Use GPS equipment to map wildlife territories and habitats
• Monitor ungulates to ensure a sustainable source of water and avoid overgrazing

Practical conservation work

As well as studying predators, you’ll help to make small but vital improvements to the environment that support the area’s big cat populations.

• Remove old fence lines that can ensnare wildlife
• Maintain trails to ensure wildlife and researchers can access key sites
• Help to establish unfenced boundaries for nature reserves

Rehabilitation

While this experience primarily focuses on wild animal research, you may also assist the team in rescuing animals who have been injured or put themselves at risk by threatening humans. Predators in this situation are given sanctuary in a semi-wild environment while other animals are usually treated then reintroduced into the wild.

• Help with supplementary feeding of semi-captive cheetahs
• Assist with any reintroduction of animals back into the wild
• Learn about the response unit for wildlife rescues across Namibia

LEARN

As well as gaining hands-on experience (which you can read about under the ‘do’ tab), you’ll also learn about the ecology and behaviour of Namibia’s big cats, including the challenges of human-wildlife conflict.

Conservation

• How to prevent conflict between local farm owners and leopards, who sometimes hunt their livestock as prey
• Methods used by poachers such as snares
• How to create an effective conservation strategy that covers wildlife research, animal care and community outreach

Ecology

• Predator ecology in the harsh semi-desert environments of Namibia
• Competition between wildlife for the region’s limited resources
• Predator territories as well as breeding and feeding opportunities
• The ungulate populations that are the main prey for Namibia’s big cats
• Compare population numbers of different species at the two research sites

Biology

• The diets of wild Namibian predators and compare to predators in a bush based habitat
• Namibian predator breeding habitats and compare to predators in a bush based habitat
• The ungulate populations at the research sites

Behaviour

• The behaviours of African animals, both in the wild and in captivity
• How animals communicate with each other

Community outreach

To help reduce human-wildlife conflict, you’ll also learn about the work that is being done with local people.

• Provide data on predator movement to local landowners
• Gain information from local people about ‘problem predators’ and any reports of human-wildlife conflict in the area