Good News in Namibian Conservation

2016 has started off to a good start for conservation in Namibia, with Namibia’s desert lions finding love, as well as the apprehension of poachers by the Intelligence Support Against Poaching (ISAP) and the Nampol Protected Resource Unit in an enduring effort to save Namibia’s fragile Pangolin population.

Love at last for Desert Lions
The past month saw Namibia’s celebrity lions of Vanishing Kings fame meet, and “fall in love with”, two lionesses from the Okonwe Pride. According to Wilderness Safaris, “Fans of Flip Sander’s feline Muskateers will give a sigh of relief at the prospect of the desert lions’ future. Moreover, during the end of last year, the lions’ mother gave birth to their baby siblings, further growing the desert lion population.”

Protecting Pangolins from poachers
Earlier this month our hearts melted after learning about the peculiar and very special nature of Pangolins. MYD spoke with Maria Diekmann from the Rare and Endangered Species Trust (REST) about how these nocturnal and shy animals (who are best known for their defensive act of rolling themselves into a ball when frightened or scared) are increasingly threatened by poachers and illegal trade (Read the interview here).
However, at the end of last week Intelligence Support Against Poaching (ISAP) and the Nampol Protected Resource Unit conducted a sting operation in which two poachers were arrested and a very frightened young pangolin rescued.

These are the kind of stories that make our week here at MYD. Let’s hope there’s more great news to come in the rest of the year.

Read MYD Earth’s article on the Vanishing Kings here : Empathy could stop the Kings from Vanishing

Read MYD Earth’s article on the Pangolins here : Fighting to Protect a Population in Crisis