Namibia is acclaimed for its
species richness, habitat diversity
and biological distinctiveness.
Approximately 75 percentof Southern
Africa's mammal species can be found
in Namibia, with 14 endemic species.
New protected areas consolidate
Namibia’s conservation status
Namibia – one of the most conservation conscious countries in the world – has already given protected area status to 13.8 percent of its terrestrial area, while private reserves and commercial hunting farms extend wildlife management to another 10-20 percent of the country’s private land.
However, there are weaknesses in Namibia's PA systems, including the problem of small-sized PAs, which leads to the fragmentation of wildlife populations, negative visitor impacts, poaching, alien species, bush fires, and over-extraction of water and biological resources.
One way in which the SPAN project is helping address these threats and fill gaps in the system is by assisting in the establishment of three new protected areas – the 2.6 million ha Sperrgebiet National Park, and the smaller Kunene (665,600 ha) and Mangetti (48,000 ha) contractual parks. In the north-east of the country the project is also helping reproclaim the boundaries of the present Mahango and Caprivi Game Parks and consolidate them as the Bwabwata National Park.
Sperrgebiet, the largest of the new PAs, is famous for diamond mining. Its official proclamation as a protected area is expected in 2008, coinciding with celebrations marking 100 years of diamond mining in Namibia. Once proclaimed, the new park will raise the amount of Namibia’s endemic-rich succulent Karoo biome under protection from the current 11 percent to over 90 percent. Tourism growth resulting from the new park is also expected to boost the economy of southern Namibia.
The Sperrgebiet, which means "Forbidden Area" in German, covers some 26,000 square kilometers of stark dunes and mountains. The area boasts the highest levels of biodiversity in Namibia, including a high concentration of unique plants, amphibians and reptiles as well as wild populations of gemsbok, springbok and carnivores such as brown hyena. Incomplete scientific assessments have already discovered 776 plant species, including 234 unique to the area
In its days as a mining concession the Sperrgebiet was strictly off-limits to both the public and scientists. These restrictions have helped to keep much of the area pristine until recently when exploration for new mineral riches and “emergency grazing” brought new land-use pressures to this fragile area.
SPAN has already provided administrative support for finalization of the Sperrgebiet park boundaries, funding for a mobile home for the new warden, and for consolidation of patrol camp facilities. Close working relations have been established with all stakeholders – public and private.
Political support has been secured and initial consultations held for the establishment of the Kunene Contractual Park, close to the Etosha National Park and Skeleton Coast Park. Local communities gave conditional approval to the park concept in 2006 after a two-day meeting of all the area’s traditional chiefs in the area. The project has also funded a ministerial consultative meeting and will soon set up a regional committee to further discuss arrangements for the new park, which will play an important role in restoring traditional wildlife migration routes.
The Mangetti, the third and smallest of the new PAs, is in the Kavango region and was previously a game-breeding area.
The SPAN project has also been active in other protected areas. It has been active in the Ai-Ais–Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, famous for its hotsprings. The project contributed towards establishing a new park management base; construction of new entry control point in preparation for the opening of the new transfrontier border, consolidation of signage in parks; organization of a workshop on alien invasive plant control; providing training in rescue and first aid in preparation for the hiking season; and has introduced a local level incident book monitoring system.
SPAN has also provided financial assistance for a land survey of the new boundaries of the Bwabwata National Park in preparation for the re-proclamation of the park’s status, also expected in mid-2008. The new park boundaries will include an extra strip of land, the 20,500 ha KwandoTriangle, highly important for wildlife migration along the Kwando River.
Celebrating 100 years of conservation 
