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Copyright

Likeleli Zuvee Katjirua; Michael Shipepe David; Jeff Muntifering

Published On

2024-08-02

Page Range

pp. 243–254

Language

  • English

Print Length

12 pages

8. Eliciting empathy and connectedness toward different species in north-west Namibia

Chapter of: Etosha Pan to the Skeleton Coast: Conservation Histories, Policies and Practices in North-west Namibia(pp. 243–254)
This chapter turns to research with young people in north-west Namibia to ascertain their perceptions and understandings of “wildlife”. The aim is to better understand how young members of communal-area conservancies in north-west Namibia know and perceive the value of selected indigenous fauna species in these areas, alongside domestic livestock––specifically goats (Capra hircus). This study is set within a context in which tourism in Namibia is understood to greatly contribute to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with Namibia being home to animals whose value is linked with their contemporary scarcity. Such species include black rhino (Diceros bicornis bicornis)––monitored and celebrated through organisations and campaigns such as Save the Rhino Trust and the Rhino Pride Campaign––as well as lion (Panthera leo), and oryx (Oryx gazella), all of which draw tourists to Namibia. Whilst these wild animals need to be protected at a global level, nationally they are also Namibia’s pride, even being pictured as nationally important symbols on Namibian bank notes.

Contributors

Likeleli Zuvee Katjirua

(author)
Research Assistant at University of Namibia

Likeleli Zuvee Katjirua is a Namibian early career researcher and environmental advocate. Currently based in Windhoek, Namibia, Likeleli serves as a Research Assistant at the University of Namibia (UNAM), managing projects, conducting research, and providing crucial assistance. Likeleli journey began as an Administrative Assistant at the Center for Environment and Natural Resources (CENR), where she honed her organisational skills. Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities and Social Sciences with a focus on Geography and Environmental Sciences from the University of Namibia (2018-2021), Likeleli is a proficient communicator in English and Afrikaans. Passionate about climate change, Likeleli actively participates in conferences and events, such as the 10th Conference on Climate Change & Development in Africa (CCDA-X). Likeleli is dedicated to environmental management and sustainable development for which she hopes to contribute research, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Michael Shipepe David

(author)
Part-time Lecturer at University of Namibia

Michael Shipepe David is a research consultant and a part-time lecturer at the University of Namibia, with an interest in landscape conservation and value chain assessment. His active involvement and participation in conservation has led to recent interest in multi-species entanglement, including the human-nature relation. He holds a Master’s degree in Spatial Engineering from the University of Twente, Netherlands, and an Honours degree in Geo-Information Science from Namibia. He is actively involved in conserving natural resources through different projects and activities such as capacity building for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs), and creating awareness about Environmental and Social Safeguarding (ESS) within the CBNRM sector.

Jeff Muntifering

(author)
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5327-8896

Jeff Muntifering was born and raised in Minnesota (USA), but has been primarily based in Namibia since 1999 where he has served as Science Adviser to Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) since 2003. His applied research, including his PhD, has helped inform a variety of innovative conservation and management policies including community-based monitoring programs, rhino re-introduction strategies, behaviour change campaigns and sustainable eco-tourism protocols, and includes more than 25 scientific publications and book chapters. Jeff also co-founded a number of community-based projects in Namibia including the internationally renowned Conservancy Rhino Ranger Programme and the Rhino Pride Campaign which includes a suite of outreach and awareness initiatives ranging from Rhino Friends youth clubs to rhino-themed sports leagues. Recently, much of his time has targeted scaling up a community-led rhino conservation tourism model across Namibia, as well as sharing the Namibian experience in China and Nepal on designing and delivering community-led conservation and tourism programmes. Jeff is an adjunct professor at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), a guest lecturer at the Beijing Forestry University, and a research associate with WildCRU at Oxford University.