AfriCat works where Human-Wildlife Conflict is at its greatest, an age-old story throughout Africa where communities are going about their traditional farming methods on the fringes of wilderness areas. The work is in remote areas and offers up incredibly difficult conditions for communities trying to protect their livestock from predators. It is here, from the field base at AfriCat North, where various programmes mitigate the conflict between the two. These projects are dependent on the generosity of sponsors and donors, and one of these is the Kevin Richardson Foundation. Kevin recently visited the AfriCat Foundation at Okonjima and further afield, met with the AfriCat North Lion Guards, who dedicate their time and energy to promoting greater tolerance and co-existence on communal farmland adjacent to protected areas such as the Etosha National Park and the Hobatere Concession.

Kevin said: “Tammy Hoth-Hanssen has been working tirelessly for many years with communities in this area, trying to implement systems and strategies to reduce and hopefully extinguish the constant fight for survival between the Namibian lion and other large carnivores in this area and the humans that live amongst them. Building cattle bomas to kraal livestock at night, improved security measures such as lights that flash on and off on the bomas sides (lion lights) to dissuade lions and building of schools so that the youth can be educated, uplifted and therefore empowered are just a few of the projects underway and completed. However, this is an ongoing battle needing endless amounts of funding and resources and Tammy can’t do this alone nor should she be expected to.