The sub-region annual newsletter

The Sub-Sub ---regionregion Namibia annual newsletter

The SKEP Co-ordination Unit aspires to the vision that, ‘by the year 2020 the people of the Succulent Karoo are taking ownership and enjoying their unique living landscape in a way that maintains biodiversity and improves livelihoods now and into perpetuity.’

Steering Committee approves projects amounting up to a N$ 400,000 Inside this issue: Providing financial incentives for commu- The Succulent Karoo day 2 nities to engage in conservation initiatives is key in promoting sustainable develop- ment, while at the same time promoting The Brown Hyena Research 3 community upliftment through income Project generating projects aimed at providing employment. Impacts on local communi- Sad Brown Hyena story 3 ties in various parts of Namibia from such incentives have been observed and ac-

knowledged. Steering Committee meeting in Rosh Pinah The beneficiaries are the Namibian Envi- The Succulent Karoo Expedi- 4 Such financial incentives have been ex- tion ronmental Education Network, EduVen- panded to the Sperrgebiet, through tures, Brown Hyena Research Project, SKEP. The Sperrgebiet—an understudied Biodiversity database, Lüderitz High Letter from the Sperrgebiet 4 area—is threaten by human activities School, Nature Investments, Aus Commu- such as mining, illegal collection of plants nity Conservation Trust and the Warmbad and irrigated agriculture. New project manager for 5 Community. SKEP In an effort to address these challenges, Approximately N$ 2 million has been allo- the SKEP small grant programme re- cated to the small grants programme. The cently pledged almost N$ 400,000 to vari- small grant programme is open to all SKEP sub-region Namibia ous environmental projects in and on the members of civil society, including NGOs, boundaries of the Sperrgebiet. Recently ______private individuals and other interest and through the SKEP small grants pro- groups who have innovative ideas to con- Co-ordinator: gramme, eight (8) projects receive fund- tribute to the conservation and sustain- Kauna Schroder ing for their projects. The projects were able development of the Succulent Karoo approved on the 23 November 2006 at ______in Namibia. A maximum amount of the SKEP Steering Committee meeting. N$ 60 000 per project is awarded with no Assistant Co-ordinator: lower limits. Jonas Nghishidi By: Jonas Nghishidi ______Physical Address: Aus town set for tourism boom Kenya House Although the town of Aus has seen sig- Aus in the south is set for a tourism boom 4th Floor nificant development in the last few after the official launch of the Aus informa- Robert Mugabe Avenue years, it is one of the poorest communi- tion centre. Postal Address: ties in Namibia, despite its proximity to

some of the leading economic contribu- P.O. Box 245 tors of the country, such as the mining Windhoek and fishing sectors. Phone/Fax/E-mail With financial support of R 1,000,000.00 Tel: 061 248345 ext.266 million from the European Union (EU) and the Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Fax: 061 248344 Programme (SKEP), the settlement of [email protected]/[email protected] Launch of the Aus centre

SKEP sub-region is partnership between: (1) The sub-region Namibia annual newsletter The Aus Tourist Information Centre was officially launched Through the Aus Community Conservation Trust (ACCT) last Friday (24 th November 2006). This latest development the new centre will be managed with the objective of pro- is seen as a significant step for the community of Aus to be moting the fragile, yet rich desert environment of the south engaged the tourism industry while conserving their rich in a sustainable manner for the benefit of the community. culture and natural resources. “For a long time now Namibian people have forgotten about the south and its potential. It is up to us in the south to The new building is situated some 200 kilometers from prove that wrong,” said Konjore, adding that the ministry at the junction of the Aus village turnoff, a gladly welcomes the “pro-poor tourism” initiative that has strategic place for visitors and locals alike to get more infor- been undertaken to realise this goal. mation about the village and its natural desert environment. Besides the project being financed by the European Union Officially launching the centre, Minister of Environment and and SKEP, other major partners are the Namibia Nature Tourism, Rev. Willem Konjore, said it was encouraging to Foundation, Nature Investments and Klein-Aus Vista (t/a note that the initial idea of establishing such a centre came Gondwana Desert Collection, a group of private nature re- from two local people who had the interests of the commu- serves in southern Namibia), and tour operator Cheetah nity at heart. Tours & Safaris.

For more information on the Aus Information Centre contact Ms. Claudia Baisitse at Tel/fax : 063 - 258151, email: [email protected]

By: Jonas Nghishidi

Aus town

The official launch of the Aus Info Centre, Governor of the Karas Regional Council The name means 'out' in German but may be derived from a Khoi-Khoi word which Hon. Dawid Boois (right), Minister of Environment and Tourism Rev. Willem Konjore means the 'place of the snakes'. After the German surrender to South African troops in (Centre, right), Bethanie Community Traditional Leader, Chief Fredricks (Centre, left) World War I, Aus became an internment camp for German military officers. As many and the vice chairperson of the Aus Community Conservation Trust, Mr. Partick Xo- as 1550 prisoners were held at Aus and the towns population was further boosted by agub (left). around 600 South African guards.

Namibia Environmental Education Network to organize the Succulent Karoo day

Generating local and national awareness about the im- mote conservation of biodiversity in the Succulent Karoo portance of the hotspot is the first step to ensuring con- and draw attention to the value and benefits of natural servation practices are adopted, and is identified as an resources and enhance people’s understanding of biodi- important strategic focal area within SKEP. versity and our shared responsibility towards it. As a partner in the SKEP programme, NEEN aims to The event is to be implemented in two phases with an address this. Through the SKEP small grants pro- emphasis on schools residing on the boundaries of the gramme, NEEN aims to contribute to this strategic focal Succulent Karoo in Namibia. In the first phase, a school area poster competition for schools in and on the boundaries NEEN has become a recipient of the SKEP small grants of the Sperrgebiet will be implemented. The winners of programme after the Steering Committee approved the the poster competition are scheduled to partake in the proposal with an amount of N$ 60,000.00. Succulent Karoo day celebrations. The funds are earmarked for the commemoration of Succulent Karoo Day in conjunction with World Environ- Prizes for best schools in various categories will be pre- mental Day. World Environment Day, commemorated sented during the occasion. each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political By: Jonas Nghishidi attention and action. As children, small creatures endlessly fascinate us; as adults, we can protect them so as to inspire future children. The overall objective of Succulent Karoo Day is to pro- - Les E. Watling ,

SKEP sub-region is partnership between: (2) The sub-region Namibia annual newsletter Study of the demography of brown hyenas in the Sperrgebiet, Namibia.

The projects aim is to get a better We did not even see any game in the right in the middle of it. He walked up understanding about the movement, area. We had more luck near Ga- to 90 km per day to search for food activity and habitat use of brown hye- busib, which is east of the Klinghardt and also visited the coast as well as nas in inland areas of the Sperrgebiet Mountains. Fresh hyena tracks and the Kaukasib fountain on a few occa- compared to hyenas living along the sightings of plenty of game indicated sions. coast. that we might be lucky with our cap- Other interesting findings were that ture there. We will try to fit two GPS inland hyenas use a different search collars between 1 and 5 December The project proved to be more chal- pattern for food to coastal hyenas. In and hope to be able to give an update coastal areas food is found along lenging than expected. After finally by early January. receiving all the necessary equip- beaches and seal colonies and is ment, such as GPS telemetry collars, therefore localized. Resident hyenas from overseas at the end of 2005, we use this food source during the entire tried several times to fit those collars year. Food sources of inland hyenas to inland hyenas. on the other hand, are widely distrib- uted. Inland hyenas search dune and plain areas walking in a zigzag mode First we were surprised by the exten- to detect all wind—borne odours. sive rainfall that hit the Sperrgebiet They also follow riverbeds, as much over Easter. Hyena activity in our well game is usually found there. considered study areas was minimal and they seemed to have followed the game far outside their usual activity Analsis being carried out on a capture range. brown hyena In 2005 two brown hyenas had al- ready been fitted with GPS collars in For successful capture, we usually the Kaukasib area. The female hyena concentrate on areas around water disappeared from the area, and de- holes, as hyenas have to go there to spite several search flights covering drink on a regular basis. With fresh the entire Sperrgebiet and surround- water all over the Sperrgebiet, this ing area we could not find her again. trick did not work. We the decided to The male hyena used an area of postpone the darting until most of the 2 Therefore our preliminary findings more than 1500 km as his home support our expected results, that surface water had evaporated. This range with the active den site being finally happened in November and we brown hyena movement, activity and planned our next darting trip for the habitat use differs between coastal beginning of December. Still, on a and inland study sites. reconnaissance trip in the middle of The final report will be available in November, there was no sign of re- September 2007. cent hyena activity near the Kaukasib fountain. By: Ingrid Wiesel (Director)

Brown Hyena Research Project SAD BROWN HYENA STORY

On our way back from the launch and awareness campaign con- of the Aus Information centre, we cerning the Brown Hyenas has encountered a brown hyena been conducted to promote con- killed on the road. The body was servation of species, road killing found 20km from Aus on the B4 still remains a threat to the brown road heading to Keetmanshoop. hyena in the Sperrgebiet. We were very disappointed Brown Hyenas are key carni- about the incident. vores in the Sperrgebiet preying primarily the Cape seals on the Although a lot of the research coast.

Report by SKEP team Brown Hyena carcass NNF team analysing the carcass

SKEP sub-region is partnership between: (3) The sub-region Namibia annual newsletter

The Succulent Karoo Expedition

People’s response to a desert vary Mountain in 2002. greatly. Some speed through it as rapidly as possibly and are horrified by the desolation and bizarre forms EduVentures expeditions always of life encountered there. head for remote areas where not much biological material is available. Through each expedition the collec- To those who appreciate more than tion of the national Museum receives just traditional pretty scenery how- valuable materials—veritable treas- ever, the desert offers a great deal. This was concluded by the 17 learn- Eager collectors ers from Karasburg and Windhoek who participated in an excursion of tain ranges, the Kowis and Tsaukaib EduVentures into a remote area that Mountains, about 30 and 60 km east is under sampled in the Sperrgebiet. of Lüderitz respectively. The moun- The group collected more than 4360 tains form part of the northern fringe on the Succulent Karoo, the most diverse desert in the world. Picture of a spider in the Sperrgebiet There is possibility that new species of insects and spiders could be dis- ures of science. At the same time, covered. Scientist believe that world- the expedition leaders introduce wide only about half of these groups learners to the basics of scientific of animals have been found and de- work, and inspire them with enthusi- scribed to date. Confirmation that a asm for nature’s wonders new species is indeed discovered Learners on the Succulent Karoo expedition The SKEP small grants programme, could only be after several months, Global Environmental Facility, Nam- samples of insects, spiders and rep- as samples still need to be sent to deb, Rossing Foundation, Klein Aus tiles as specimens to used by the experts for further analysis. Last Vista and Tre Supermarket sup- National Museum. In comparison to year EduVentures discovered a new ported and sponsored the expedi- the previous eight expeditions, this spider species in the Fish River Can- tion. yon area as well as several samples was the first time such an enormous amount of samples was collected. of gladiator insects belonging to the order Mantophasmatodea, which The expedition explored two moun- was first discovered in the Bradberg By Jonas Nghishidi Letter from the Sperrgebiet Since July 2005, when the Ministry This is especially significant when even more compressed, and of of Environment and Tourism became one realizes that the whole conser- course a mountain of routine work a recipient of support to SKEP sub- vation world is watching us with still has to be attended to as well – a region Namibia, it is difficult to imag- close interest since the decision was situation which would have disillu- ine how we would have managed taken to turn the Sperrgebiet into a sioned and broken us all in the field, otherwise. Not only has routine work new National Park, at a time when were it not for the assistance from and maintenance proceeded as nor- our own Government budget falls others, chief of which has been mal in spite of limited MET re- short of catering for what is needed. SKEP. sources, but also new developments With little manpower and minimal Thanks are due to many groups and and innovations have taken place logistical support and infrastructure, individuals who have provided finan- that would have been impossible the time available to prepare the cial and technical support towards without the input from SKEP. Sperrgebiet for Park status seems fieldwork in the Sperrgebiet over the

SKEP sub-region is partnership between: (4) The sub-region Namibia annual newsletter

last six years, ranging from NNF as is trying to achieve under difficult knows. We are very grateful, and a whole, Namdeb, Ambase Explora- circumstances. sincerely hope that the lifetime of tion, TeckCominco, Telecom, MTC, Maybe one of the greatest things SKEP is extended for some years to Seelenbinder, Raleigh International, about SKEP is the people who run come. It is of the utmost relevance, Coastways Tours, Klein Aus Vista, the programme and make it work, and the program should continue for Gino and Dieter Noli, Schalk Hugo, such as Dr. Chris Brown, Kauna longer than initially planned, at least Plietz Engineering, NACOMA, Lude- Schroder, and Jonas Nghishidi, and until the new Sperrgebiet National ritz 4x4 Club, Offroad the whole NNF team – in particularly Park is well on its way with a sound Club, Skorpion Mine, Hottentot Bay Kauna who is extremely efficient, a footing. Investments, Marek Hrywniak, and good leader, prompt in dealing with other individuals too many to name our requests, and who has such a – but it has been SKEP that has good grasp of the situation and consistently made the biggest differ- problems in the field. With such a ence in our everyday work as we Project Coordinator, SKEP has be- approach the proclamation of come a meaningful, respected and Sperrgebiet National Park. very necessary partner and tower of By: Trygve G. Cooper Furthermore, SKEP has been in- support for the Sperrgebiet. Chief Warden: Southern Namib Parks/ Sperrgebiet strumental in drawing together many local stakeholders such that (Ministry of Environment and Tourism) there is now a greater understand- Where we would be without this ing and sympathy for what the MET SKEP team today, goodness New project manager for SKEP AFTER spending most of her time working for 2001 where she spent two weeks at UCLA in- government, the new SKEP manager, Marion vestigating monitoring and evaluation issues for Johnson, is taking up a new challenge to head their social development programmes, and in the SKEP programme. April this year accompanied Western Cape Johnson who worked for the national depart- MEC for Social Development, Kholeka Mqul- ments of Health and Labour, and is currently wana, to Mexico and Brazil for social develop- working for the Western Cape Department of ment programmes. Social Development, accepted the offer to be- Despite not working in the environmental sector, come the new Manager last month. she has worked with plenty of communities de- Born and bred in Cape Town, Johnson did her veloping community based programmes for honours at the University of Cape Town (UCT), poverty alleviation. where she was awarded a USAID fellowship However she is looking forward to working for and got to study in the USA for a year. SKEP, and dealing with environmental issues She also did her masters degree in public and ecology. I want to make communities more health at a New Orleans based university. aware of sustainable livelihoods, and since the ecosystem programme is part of a larger plan Johnson then completed her second Masters for Sustainable Development, I am keen on degree in public administration, at the University making those linkages, said Johnson. of the Western Cape (UWC) where she was one of the first to graduate from the School of She will take up her post with the SKEP coordi- Government. nation unit in January next year employed by the Botanical Institute (SANBI) in She has worked throughout the Western Cape Cape Town at Kirstenbosch Garden. SANBI is including Vredendal, Plettenberg Bay, and the hosting institute for SKEP in South Africa. Southern Cape. While working for provincial government, she got to go back to the USA in

SKEP sub-region is partnership between: (5) The sub-region Namibia annual newsletter

SKEP sub-region is partnership between: (6)