The success of this important conservation initiative was made possible through collaboration between government, communities, conservation organisations and private conservation partners. Through the partnership with the Lion Recovery Fund, the Conservation Travel Foundation (CTF), the non-profit conservation arm of ultimate.earth (formerly Ultimate Safaris), facilitated the support of approximately N$2.7 million towards supporting the translocation operation which is valued at approximately N$6.7 million in total. This partnership reflects the collaborative model that has made Namibia’s communal conservation programme internationally recognised: government provides leadership and stewardship, communities are custodians of these landscapes, and conservation partners contribute additional resources, expertise and support to achieve shared conservation outcomes.

“The bolstering of wildlife populations to these landscapes is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when we work together towards a shared conservation vision,” said Tristan Cowley, founder of the Conservation Travel Foundation. “Namibia’s conservation success has always been built on partnership. Government has created the framework that allows conservation to thrive, communities remain the custodians of these landscapes, and organisations such as CTF and the Lion Recovery Fund can help mobilise additional support to strengthen these efforts.”

The Kunene Region is one of Namibia’s most remarkable conservation landscapes, home to unique populations of desert-adapted wildlife, including free-ranging black rhino, desert-adapted elephants and lions. Restoring healthy prey populations is essential for maintaining ecological balance and supporting the mitigation of predator human conflict. The translocation also highlights the importance of maintaining large, connected conservation landscapes where wildlife populations can recover, move freely and continue contributing to ecological and economic resilience. These landscapes are not only important for biodiversity, but they also support rural livelihoods through Namibia’s internationally recognised communal conservation and nature-based tourism models. The bolstering of wildlife populations is therefore both an ecological investment and an investment in the future wellbeing of communities living alongside wildlife.

“The scale of conservation challenges facing Namibia requires collaboration from all sectors of society,” said Cowley. “When government, communities, conservation organisations and responsible private-sector partners combine their efforts, we can achieve outcomes that would not be possible individually.” The Conservation Travel Foundation’s and ultimate.earth’s support forms part of its ongoing commitment to supporting practical conservation initiatives that protect Namibia’s biodiversity, strengthen community conservation and promote sustainable relationships between people and nature.

CTF thanks the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, the Lion Recovery Fund, conservation partners and the communities who continue to play a vital role in protecting Namibia’s natural heritage.