Namibian giraffes, kudus resettled in Angola

Tanja BauseWINDHOEKFour giraffes and eight kudu cows from Namibia have been resettled in Angola by the Cuatir Conservation project.This is the second time Wildlife Vets Namibia - guided by Dr Ulf Tubbesing – has taken wildlife to this project’s reserve.The first animals, which included zebras, impalas, kudus, giraffes and eland, were taken to the 40 000-hectare area in 2020.According to Tubbesing’s assistant Mariska Bijsterbosch, the conservation project is located in the Cuando-Cubango area in Angola.“It belongs to Namibian Stefan van Wyk, who worked a lot with Ulf in Namibia before he started the project. It is a large area that is largely untouched by humans.”Tubbesing has been involved in the resettlement of wild animals for years and has gained experience all over southern Africa.The animals Wildlife Vets relocated in 2020 are doing very well. Several calves and lambs have already been born, she said.“The giraffes we brought this time all have a solar-powered GPS ear tag provided by the Giraffe Conservation Fund. One of the kudu cows also has a GPS ear tag, so we can also follow her herd,” Bijsterbosch added.Capture procedureThe resettled game is caught on farms in northern Namibia. Wildlife Vets look at farms where there are too many animals and where numbers need to be reduced either through thinning or captures. In this case, all the animals were captured at Mount Etjo Safari Lodge.“For long-distance relocation, we give the animals light anaesthesia. This gives us the chance to select young, strong animals. Young animals transport better and adapt more easily to a new environment. We can also give them a vitamin and mineral supplement, treat them against ticks, worms and fleas, and administer a long-acting sedative. “It lasts about five to seven days and takes away most of the stress during the transport. It also increases the animals’ appetite, which is what we want. We take high-quality feed with us on these long journeys. We want the animals to be in good condition before they are released.”According to Bijsterbosch, the logistics and documentation are the most challenging part of every relocation.Challenging journey“The next challenge is the roads. The roads in Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are often in poor condition, which causes us to drive carefully and slowly.“We only use experienced drivers who know how to transport animals.“We had sandy and muddy sections, numerous potholes and had to switch from the main road to side roads several times.“After about seven hours and 106 kilometres, we arrived at the Kavango River - through which we had to drive,” she said.“As the last part of the journey consisted of heavy sandy roads, a giant 6x6 truck hooked our trailer.“The last 43 kilometres were challenging even for the 6x6, and we drove very slowly.“We are always happy to be back on our wonderful Namibian roads.”

Namibian giraffes, kudus resettled in Angola

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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Namibian giraffes, kudus resettled in Angola

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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