The AfriCat Foundation was established to contribute to the conservation of Namibia’s wildlife, in particular carnivores and endangered species. Based in the 220km² Okonjima Nature Reserve, the AfriCat Foundation conducts research into the altered ecology of wildlife in an enclosed protected area in order to support the creation and management of protected areas as a strategy for conservation. An estimated 42% of Namibia’s landmass is under some form of conservation management, including private reserves, such as the Okonjima Nature Reserve, and Namibia’s biodiversity strategy recognizes the contribution of conservation to both biodiversity and economic development. The partnership between the Okonjima Lodges, the Okonjima Nature Reserve and the AfriCat Foundation is a demonstration of the symbiosis between conservation and tourism. Research by the AfriCat Foundation has confirmed that the Okonjima Nature Reserve is an ideal ecosystem for leopard and brown hyena; the Reserve is thus one of the best places in the country to see these normally shy and elusive nocturnal animals. AfriCat research has also demonstrated however that the ecology of species within an enclosed protected reserve is altered – densities are higher, home ranges smaller, and there are behaviour changes to adapt to reduced opportunities for migration. AfriCat research therefore focuses on understanding how the ecology of key species in the Reserve has changed, including the interactions between species and their environment. This information contributes to the management of enclosed protected areas and to national policy development on the creation and maintenance of such areas, as part of the national conservation strategy.