Good afternoon, everybody! Today we'll be looking back at the amazing achievements of 2017, focusing our attention on the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary. Reflect on the great successes of the past year, and find out what else will be happening over the next 12 months!
What Did The Sanctuary Achieve In 2017?
The previous year was teeming with successes, from animal releases to the education of children at the Clever Cubs School, but one of the overarching achievements from 2017 was the construction and opening of numerous new sites and buildings. Amongst them is the Shiloh Wildlife Sanctuary; its aim, to provide assistance for any rhinos or elephants that have been impacted by poachers, whether by being orphaned or injured. The animals there are taken care of by the team (with the help of a full-time vet), and remain there until they are fully rehabilitated; after that, they are returned to their places of origin.
Elsewhere on the site, new camps were built for an array of species including mongooses, African wild dogs, caracals, leopards and lions. These new camps enable safer, more efficient care for the animals, and their construction may go some way towards speeding up their rehabilitation and eventual release. Speaking of which…
Animal Care & Releases
The team at the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary were able to release a number of animals this year; among them were a leopard, a cheetah, and a number of meerkats (released at Neuras). There were additional on-site releases, too, due to the Rapid Response Unit responding to human-carnivore conflict calls; that said, some of the animals caught up in the conflict may never be able to be released back into the wild. With that in mind, the injured animals (including a cheetah cub) have been receiving medical care at the sanctuary and, while they may never be able to be released back into the wild, the staff on-site are pursuing the option of releasing them into a fenced reserve! But just how many animals have been aided throughout the past year?
Well, it would appear that the team at the sanctuary (and their wonderful volunteers, of course) have plenty to be proud of: throughout 2017, their Rapid Response Unit responded to 71 conflict calls; had 24 instances of animal releases (including baboons, porcupines and wild dogs); and provided protection for no less than 31 big cats caught up in conflict. On top of these achievements, the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary opened its doors to 46 new animals (big and small!), providing life-changing or even life-saving treatment to those that needed it. Just some of the ailments aided were snake bites, broken bones and disease, and the sanctuary staff were even responsible for bringing a number of animals back from the very brink of death. With over 1 million Namibian dollars spent on animal food and medicine, the care administered to the animals throughout 2017 may have been costly, but ultimately priceless.
Finally, thanks to monies raised and donations provided, the team were able to purchase GPS collars for a number of their carnivores. With a single GPS collar costing in excess of 280,000 Namibian dollars, they do not come cheap - but what price can you put on the freedom of Namibia's deserving animals?
Community Care
It’s not just the animals that have benefited from an exceptional year at the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary: thanks to the donations raised in part by you, our volunteers, more than 500 people at the Lifeline Clinic received clothes, shoes, and blankets. What’s more, there are now new staff facilities at the Clinic – a much-appreciated update for the doctors and nurses there! One of the new facilities at the Clinic is the TB Reach Project and, in just 41 days, 922 people have been screened for the disease - that's around 23 people per day! What's more, around 2139 patients have gone through the clinic generally, undergoing a series of treatments which would not have been possible without the 1.1 million Namibian Dollars raised throughout the year.
Sadly, not everybody has the ability to pay a visit to the Clinic - but that didn't stop the team from doing their best to make a difference! Racking up a total of 6440km in their quest to provide care, the team were able to administer treatment to an additional 1034 people. It seems that this super-team will stop at nothing to make a difference!
Looking towards the little ones now, and things are improving for the Clever Cubs School. The school now encompasses grades 0-3, allowing more children than ever before to attend school. This is a vital step forward, as an understanding of their history and local surroundings will be beneficial for the kids of the community, and their ability to learn English in school may also assist them throughout life!
As well as providing further opportunity to more of Namibia's children, the Clever Cubs School has also seen their students - new and old - excel in their studies, as well as their attendance. With all students receiving a minimum of 85% attendance and an average of B-grades, it's clear that the Clever Cubs School are making a tremendous difference to the lives of Namibia's little ones. We do hope we'll hear more about their achievements in the coming months!
Finally, it's hard not to be moved by the efforts made towards the Mother and Baby sessions held by the sanctuary staff. There are, unfortunately, communities of people - particularly women and children - suffering from hunger and the effects of poor immune systems, but the Mother and Baby sessions have provided many of these young families with the nutrition and care that they so desperately need. In all, 1948 specially formulated, protein-rich meals were provided to the families throughout 2017, and this number will continue to rise as the year progresses.
What Is There To Look Forward To In 2018?
We’ve only just entered the new year, and new necessities and goals could crop up at any point, but so far the team at the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary do have a few things in mind! Check out their quick-fire list of 2018’s tasks:
- Further research with projects/sites
- Redesign the vervet monkey enclosure
- Start the release process for two leopards named Inara and Amadeus
- An official opening of the new reserve, the Shiloh Wildlife Reserve
- Release more meercats, rock hyraxes and genets
As you can see, the team are set to have their hands full over the year – so why not lend them a hand? If you would like to become a part of the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary’s success story for 2018, head to our project page now and get involved! This project (as well as both the Carnivore Conservation projects in Kanaan and Neuras) is subject to 20% off until the end of January, but be quick - places fill up fast! Get a feel for the life of a volunteer by watching our video below.
