Somaliland learns about cheetah conservation from Namibia

A delegation from Somaliland is in the country to explore the link between rural development, tourism and cheetah conservation.

The delegation is visiting Namibia from 25 July to 3 August.

The Cheetah Conservation Fund’s (CCF’s) founder and executive director, Dr Laurie Marker, and the executive director of the Namibian Association of Community Based Natural Resource Management Support Organizations (NACSO) Maxi Louis is leading the delegation on a tour of north-central Namibia.

According to a CCF statement, the goal of the tour is to transfer institutional knowledge about community based natural resource management (CBNRM), eco-tourism and the development of concessions around protected areas.

“The knowledge transfer between Namibia and Somaliland will assist the Somaliland government in developing their own model to meet the needs of nomadic pastoral communities while mitigating threats to wild species at their new CCF facility.”

Close ties

CCF has been working with the government of Somaliland since 2011 to combat the illegal wildlife trade in cheetah.

CCF Somaliland currently cares for more than 80 cheetah cubs in Somaliland’s capital city of Hargeisa.

The animals were confiscated by the government and placed in one of three safe house facilities, which are temporary shelters.

“In December last year, CCF and Somaliland’s sponsoring partner, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, began construction of the CCF cheetah rescue and conservation centre at Geed Deeble (Land of Trees) to provide a permanent home for the animals.”

CCF said the rescue centre will be built on 50 000 hectares that the Somaliland government has set aside to become its first national park.

When complete, the rescue centre will provide a permanent home for the cubs rescued from the illegal pet trade and from human-wildlife conflict situations.

CCF expects to complete the first phase of the facilities in time to move the cheetahs in by January next year.

Learning opportunity

The Somaliland delegation will visit Erinidi Private Wildlife Reserve, Etosha National Park, Twyfelfontein, conservancies in the Kunene region and the CCF Centre.

They will also meet with representatives from the Namibian government, conservation organisations and trade groups in Windhoek.

According to CCF, Namibia’s conservancy models and systems of national parks and protected areas can serve as inspiration for Somaliland’s problems.

Both have rugged terrain, arid climates and suffer from drought, and both countries have wild cheetah populations that come in conflict with rural agro-pastoral communities.

Marker said “the rescue centre will be the first facility of its kind in the Horn of Africa. The government of Somaliland has been CCF’s best partner in addressing the illegal trade in cheetahs, and the government of Namibia has been CCF’s best partner in addressing human-wildlife conflict and habitat loss. Namibia is also CCF’s first and longest-standing government partner. CCF believes by bringing Namibia and Somaliland together, we will make great progress in conservation, by sharing our lessons learned.”