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Wildlife
© CreativeLAB / WWF-US

Namibia is home to spectacular wildlife, from small herds of desert dwelling elephant that survive against the odds in the northwest to the largest population of elephants left on earth that move through the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Park; lions that prowl the coastline; the world’s largest population of black rhino, and countless other species from big to small, prolific to endangered; each is an important part of our natural world.

Did you know?

70% of Namibia’s wildlife lives outside of national parks on communal land and freehold farms, which are home to pangolin, wild dogs, and the largest population of cheetah in the world! 

© Will Burrard-Lucas / WWF-US
Why does it matter?

Imagine a world without wildlife?  We can’t, and that is why we fight for the survival of species across Namibia and beyond our borders. 

Ironically, the biggest threats to wildlife are due to human impact on the environment.  Habitat loss, the breakdown in connectivity that prevents free movement of wildlife populations, and the illegal wildlife trade is driving many species towards extinction.   

Wildlife has a critical place in our imagination and in the environment.  It is also essential to Namibia’s wildlife-based economy, which includes conservancy tourism.  At a local level, when communities benefit from wildlife, they are encouraged to protect it, and this in turn benefits the broader, national economy.  

© Jason Nott/Ultimate Safaris
What WWF is doing

WWF is working with our partners at the Ministry of Environment Forestry and Tourism to strengthen and support key species management plans, including plans for the protection of elephants, black rhino and other key species in national parks, communal conservancies, and freehold farms. 

WWF works with our partners to help mitigate human-wildlife conflict through proven, accessible methods, such as repellents around fields, enclosures for livestock, and protective walls around water sources to reduce damage from elephants seeking water.

We drive efforts to combat wildlife crime, supporting “boots on the ground,” trained community rangers and game guards who monitor and protect endangered species, advanced technology that increases the protection of critical wildlife habitat against intruders, and we work with a wide variety of partners across borders and sectors to stop the illegal wildlife trade.  

WWF works to empower local communities to benefit from wildlife and natural resources so that they remain active partners in protecting wildlife for now and for future generations. In all we do, WWF takes an inclusive approach to conservation, one that ensures that wildlife is both valued by – and provides benefits to - Namibians and the global community.