Wildlife crimes continue to pose a threat to Namibian conservation efforts , necessitating a complex and multi – agency response , as well as community empowerment through educational initiatives . Kunene Governor Marius Sheya delivered these statements on Friday at Opuwo during a Human – Wildlife Conflict ( HWC ) mitigation , tourist recovery , and wildlife credit grant donation to Kunene conservancies . The Poverty Orientated Support to Community Conservation in Namibia ( POSCCIN ) has invested approximately N . dollars 31 million to execute HWC mitigation strategies identified in different landscapes , with 20 conservancies receiving funds to reduce human – wildlife conflict . The KfW Development Bank provided those funds . During his remarks , Sheya called for consolidated measures to combat poaching , stressing that new ways should be used at grassroots levels to educate the public about the significance of wildlife . ” We cannot leave it to conservation groups alone to talk about , as leaders we must a
lso talk about it , we must talk about the harm of poaching ,’ he said . The governor stressed that authorities must devise new tactics . ‘ We must sit down and find ways to collaborate so that communities who do not understand the value of wildlife can start to see their value . This is our problem , the people who poach are people coming from our communities ,’ he charged . According to Sheya , anti – poaching strategies and education should begin at the grassroots level , by educating young people on the significance of the environment and how it contributes significantly to the economy . ‘ For a child born in Epupa , who has never seen a rhino , how will he or she appreciate a rhino if we don ‘ s bring the child to the rhino for him to see the value ? Normally the person who comes to him will tell him let ‘ s go and hunt , I will give you N . dollars 50 000 . He will see value in the N . dollars 50 000 instead of the rhino because he doesn ‘ s understand the value of the rhino ,’ noted Sheya . Combating w
ildlife crime is a key component of Namibian government policy , carried out by the Ministry of Environment , Forestry , and Tourism through its National Wildlife Crime Strategy , government law enforcement agencies , and conservation . Pohamba Shifeta , the minister of environment , announced last week that 46 rhinos , including 35 black and 11 white rhinos , have been killed by poachers in the Etosha National Park to date in 2024 .

Source: The Namibia News Agency