Strategies to manage human activity in deserts 4

[4]Africat Established in 1993, The AfriCat Foundation started off as a sanctuary for Cheetah and Leopard rescued from irate, livestock farmers. Today, AfriCat is dedicated to the protection and long-term conservation of all large carnivores in Namibia and has since become renowned for much-needed Environmental Education, Carnivore Research and Animal Welfare. Environmental Education Programmes amongst Namibia’s youth as well as the farming community are aimed at promoting greater tolerance of carnivores through: Environmental Awareness Programmes and Mitigating farmer-predator conflict on farmland, through improved livestock protection methods Carnivore Research is imperative in order to establish effective management strategies and techniques, thereby supporting the sustainable conservation of each species The Welfare Programme includes rescue, release and rehabilitation of a large number of confiscated, injured and orphaned carnivores

Okonjima Okonjima, home of The AfriCat Foundation, was established as a small 'guest farm' in For generations, the Hanssen Family had been avid cattle farmers until the need for solutions to increasing livestock losses and post-independence interest in Namibia as a tourist destination, changed the face of Okonjima, as well as that of Carnivore Conservation. The AfriCat Foundation is based on the farm Okonjima; this mutually beneficial relationship allows for interested visitors to experience, first hand, the works of The Project, gaining valuable insight into carnivore conservation and, at the same time, creating the platform for donating much- needed funds to The Project and its Programmes. 3rd February 2005 Okonjima, home of the Africat Foundation has been awarded 'Namibia's Leading Safari' in the prestigious World Travel Awards. The awards are voted for by industry professionals and are considered to be the 'Oscars' of the travel world. The wildlife experience at Okonjima is both fascinating for visitors and of vital importance to the ongoing protection of large carnivores and the education of rural Namibian communities. This award is recognition for the successful combination of a world class safari lodge and a world famous conservation program.

Cheetahs are the main draw here as Okonjima is the home to the charitable Africat Foundation, whose mission is the rescue and relocation of unwanted or injured cheetahs as well as training cheetahs brought up by hand to hunt. Okonjjima also supports leopard research on a number of second and third generation leopards who have always lived on the property, and who are radio- collared. For those staying just one night, the lodge tries to arrange and evening drive to track a collared leopard using telemetry and an insight into the cheetah rehabilitation programme the following morning. Those staying longer can also track cheetah on foot and see Bushman paintings on an interpretive walk

UPDATED FIGURES Leopards rescued: 271 Leopards released: 253 Cheetahs rescued: 538 Cheetahs released: 425 Total cats rescues: 809 Total cats released: 678 Total % released: 83.81% Total % died/euthanased: 3.96% Total % kept at AfriCat: 12.24% Of those kept at AfriCat - Orphan cubs: 66.04%