Education and community outreach are fundamental to raising conservation awareness in rural communities for alleviating human–wildlife conflict (HWC). Evaluating the impacts of programs aimed at reducing HWC is necessary justify effectiveness mitigation strategies, provide feedback designing sustainable initiatives level. We examined an program four eastern communal conservancies Namibia using questionnaire surveys administered workshop participants. Most participants experienced livestock...

Conservation of free‐ranging cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus ) populations is multi faceted and needs to be addressed from an ecological, biological management perspective. There a wealth published research, each focusing on particular aspect conservation. Identifying the most important factors, making sense various (and sometimes contrasting) findings, taking decisions when little or no empirical data available, are everyday challenges facing conservationists. Bayesian networks (BN) provide...

Abstract. Savanna ecosystems are subject to desertification and bush encroachment, which reduce the carrying capacity for wildlife livestock. Bush thinning is a management approach that can, at least temporarily, restore grasslands raise grazing value of land. In this study we examined soil microbial communities under grass in Namibia. We analyzed through chronosequence where was thinned 9, 5, or 3 years before sampling. Soil biomass, biomass specific taxonomic groups, overall community...

Abstract Assessing trends in abundance and density of species conservation concern is vital to inform management strategies. The remaining population the cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus ) largely exists outside protected areas, where they are often conflict with humans. Despite this, status dynamics areas have received relatively limited attention across its range. We analyzed remote camera trapping data nine surveys conducted from 2005 2014 Waterberg Conservancy, north‐central Namibia, which...

Bush encroachment affects much of the Namibian woodland landscape, causing significant loss open savannah habitat and farm profits. Thinning trees/shrubs is recommended; however, research required to identify overall efficacy effects this method on habitat. We aimed examine effect thinning strategy applied vegetation structure encroaching tree/shrub species, as well sighting lines Vegetation surveys were done three freehold farms in north-central Namibia. The study utilised a combination...

Abstract Arthropods are the most diverse animal phylum and play crucial roles in ecosystem functioning through their contributions to processes. Accurate knowledge about distribution diversity is essential for effective management biodiversity conservation. Public databases citizen science records could contribute our understanding of arthropod diversity. To test this assumption, we extracted observations Namibia from iNaturalist (iNat) Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)...

Namibian cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are known to use specific trees when choosing sites for scent-marking and these normally large visually conspicuous trees, often referred by farmers as "playtrees". The aim of this study was identify the physical ecological attributes within a fixed area in turn key characteristics preferred selecting use. We used mulitple linear regression determine most influential on cheetah tree preference. Results show that prefer easy detect provide good visibility...

Cheetahs and other apex predators are threatened by human-wildlife conflict habitat degradation. Bush encroachment creates one of the biggest forms change, thus it is important to understand impact this has on use. We investigated preferences five male cheetahs in Namibian farmlands degraded bush encroachment. were tracked using satellite based Global System for Mobile (GSM) collars providing a higher resolution ranging behavior. aimed investigate: 1) characteristics; 2) evidence selection;...

Abstract Bush encroachment affects ~45 million ha of Namibia and, without appropriate restoration measures, it negatively rangeland productivity and biodiversity. Thinning is a common method to counteract bush encroachment. The thinning strategy applied in north-central was assessed examine how effective has been reducing Trees/shrubs were selectively thinned manually, targeting all height classes, except individuals with stem diameters ≥18 cm. We investigated the effects on vegetation soil...

Abstract Scent‐marking sites may facilitate interspecific information gathering and could help to minimise the risk of encounter with competitors. Recent evidence from South Africa shows that cheetahs avoid dominant predators at scent‐marking sites, which delay or inhibit intraspecific communication in cheetahs. However, little is known on whether this pattern avoidance occurs elsewhere cheetah's range. We analysed a 9‐year camera trap data set north‐central Namibia explore use marking by...

Burrowing animals such as warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) and aardvark (Orycteropus afer) are able to compromise the integrity of fenced-in farmlands by digging holes under game fences. These provide access for predators enter farm where they can kill livestock or captive animals. Data collected from use swing gates (n = 263) installed along a 23.93 km fence in Otjozondjupa region Namibia was analysed determine factors that influenced their...

The Namibian savannah ecosystem has experienced considerable anthropogenic pressures, which have resulted in the disruption of key ecological processes, and consequently, proliferation a dense vegetation structure, commonly known as bush encroachment. Approximately 45 million hectares land been affected, caused significant decline grazing capacity, poor economic returns for farmers, loss suitable wildlife habitat. Restoration thinning, method that involves selective removal excess...

Abstract Reintroduction programmes are an important tool for the conservation of threatened and endangered carnivores, but their effectiveness has rarely been assessed when wild‐born, captive‐raised orphans released. We monitored evaluated success orphaned cheetahs ( n = 25) that were rehabilitated released into wild as adults across three private reserves in Namibia. estimated time to independence, hunting prey composition, one reserve we derived preference habitat use. Seventeen achieved...

Abstract. Savanna ecosystems are subject to desertification and bush encroachment, which reduce the carrying capacity for wildlife livestock. Bush thinning is a management approach that can, at least temporarily, restore grasslands raise grazing value of land. In this study we examined soil microbial communities under grass in Namibia. We analyzed through chronosequence where was thinned 9, 5, or 3 years before sampling. Soil biomass, biomass specific taxonomic groups, overall community...

Double-brooding is an avian breeding strategy where birds produce at least two successful nests in a single season. seen most frequently small passerines for which the season lengthy enough that they can easily fit multiple nesting attempts. Such pattern of therefore less common among large with long incubation periods and slow offspring development. In case hornbills (Family Bucerotidae), double-brooding would be unexpected not only these reasons, but also due to fact females nearly all...