The Okonjima | AfriCat Partnership
The AfriCat Foundation, Okonjima Lodges, and the Okonjima Nature Reserve are three independent entities, but all three work together symbiotically with the shared objective of furthering wildlife conservation. The Okonjima Nature Reserve was created by rewilding four former cattle farms to establish protected habitat for wildlife. The objective was to protect an area large enough to be a sustainable wildlife ecosystem for the naturally occurring species. AfriCat and Okonjima Lodges & Campsites are based in the Okonjima Nature Reserve.
AfriCat is conducting research to ensure that the Okonjima Nature Reserve maximizes its contribution to wildlife conservation by:
1. Assessing the contribution of enclosed protected areas to wildlife conservation
2. Taking advantage of unique opportunities in the Reserve to answer conservation questions that would be difficult to address elsewhere, and
3. Improving Reserve management.
Guests visit Okonjima to experience the Okonjima Nature Reserve. Their experience is enriched by access to wildlife and information derived from AfriCat’s research. Guests have a good chance of seeing some of the research animals, and Okonjima guides share information about them, collected through AfriCat’s research.
Okonjima guides are key data collectors for AfriCat. They gather data while accompanying guests into the Reserve. In turn, AfriCat regularly updates guides on research findings. The collars and tags on research animals allow guides to introduce these animals to Okonjima’s guests.
While the Okonjima Nature Reserve is a true wilderness, its road network, security, and absence of dangerous animals such as lions and black rhinos facilitate AfriCat’s data collection. Additionally, due to years of protection, the wildlife in the Reserve is comfortable around humans and vehicles, enabling observation of their natural behavior. This benefits both researchers and guests.
Okonjima is AfriCat’s primary financial supporter, enabling AfriCat to plan and implement long-term, sustained data collection and focus on research rather than fundraising. Conversely, AfriCat’s work is a unique feature of Okonjima Lodges and the Reserve and serves as a major attraction for guests choosing Okonjima.
