Namibia's wildlife well-managed, Shifeta
News - Environment | 2016-06-16
THE minister of environment and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, says stringent management of Namibia's wildlife has led to growth in the population of endangered and protected wildlife species.
Shifeta said the prudent management programmes introduced after independence in 1990 have led to an increase in the population of elephants, rhinos, cheetahs, leopards and lions.
He made these remarks when he reflected on the country's wildlife and environment management status to African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly (ACP-EU-JPA) members at a reception dinner organised by the National Assembly on Monday.
Shifeta said the elephant population has grown to more than 20 000 from some 4 000 elephants the country had at independence.
The tourism minister also informed the ACP-EU-JPA members that besides the wildlife species, more than 40% of Namibian land is also protected, either under national parks or community-based conservations.
“Take time to visit one of our national parks to see the attractions,” Shifeta urged the parliamentarians.
Speaking at the same event, the acting co-president of the ACP-EU-JPA, Michele Rivasi commended Namibia for the way the country manages its natural resources. “You have a very beautiful country, and it is impressive to learn that the population of your elephants has tripled,” Rivasi said.
The Isak Katali Cultural Women's Group from the Uukolonkadhi community-based conservancy in the Omusati region, which won a competition at last year's Namibia Tourism Expo, entertained the parliamentarians with traditional performances at the reception.
Meanwhile, deputy minister of environment Tommy Nambahu says that despite Namibia's success story, the continent has lost most of its elephants and a significant number of rhinos, while many other wildlife species have become confined to protected areas such as national parks over the past few decades.
He made these remarks at an information session on community-based natural resource management in Windhoek on Sunday.
The information session was attended by ACP-EU parliamentarians who are in Namibia for the 31st session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.
“It is unfortunate that this process is still ongoing in some of our countries,” Nambahu said.
He however noted that some countries have reversed the trend of losing wildlife and are in fact seeing wildlife numbers increasing. Nambahu said there are currently more wildlife numbers in Namibia than at any time in the past 100 years.
Namibia's elephant population has grown in the last 20 years partly because of community-based conservation, he said.
“Without doubt Namibia is committed to the sustainable use of wildlife resources, as is provided for in our national constitution,” Nambahu said.
He said sustainable use of wildlife resources is the result of good conservation and wildlife management, adding that it is in the collective interest of parliamentarians the world over to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources for livelihood security and biodiversity conservation.
The information session was held in light of ongoing advocacy for trophy hunting to be banned in Namibia and elsewhere.
The JPA which was attended by 350 parliamentarians from ACP and EU countries ended yesterday.
- Nampa
SOURCE:http://www.namibian.com.na/Namibias-wildlife-well-managed-Shifeta/41812/read
News - Environment | 2016-06-16
THE minister of environment and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, says stringent management of Namibia's wildlife has led to growth in the population of endangered and protected wildlife species.
Shifeta said the prudent management programmes introduced after independence in 1990 have led to an increase in the population of elephants, rhinos, cheetahs, leopards and lions.
He made these remarks when he reflected on the country's wildlife and environment management status to African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly (ACP-EU-JPA) members at a reception dinner organised by the National Assembly on Monday.
Shifeta said the elephant population has grown to more than 20 000 from some 4 000 elephants the country had at independence.
The tourism minister also informed the ACP-EU-JPA members that besides the wildlife species, more than 40% of Namibian land is also protected, either under national parks or community-based conservations.
“Take time to visit one of our national parks to see the attractions,” Shifeta urged the parliamentarians.
Speaking at the same event, the acting co-president of the ACP-EU-JPA, Michele Rivasi commended Namibia for the way the country manages its natural resources. “You have a very beautiful country, and it is impressive to learn that the population of your elephants has tripled,” Rivasi said.
The Isak Katali Cultural Women's Group from the Uukolonkadhi community-based conservancy in the Omusati region, which won a competition at last year's Namibia Tourism Expo, entertained the parliamentarians with traditional performances at the reception.
Meanwhile, deputy minister of environment Tommy Nambahu says that despite Namibia's success story, the continent has lost most of its elephants and a significant number of rhinos, while many other wildlife species have become confined to protected areas such as national parks over the past few decades.
He made these remarks at an information session on community-based natural resource management in Windhoek on Sunday.
The information session was attended by ACP-EU parliamentarians who are in Namibia for the 31st session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.
“It is unfortunate that this process is still ongoing in some of our countries,” Nambahu said.
He however noted that some countries have reversed the trend of losing wildlife and are in fact seeing wildlife numbers increasing. Nambahu said there are currently more wildlife numbers in Namibia than at any time in the past 100 years.
Namibia's elephant population has grown in the last 20 years partly because of community-based conservation, he said.
“Without doubt Namibia is committed to the sustainable use of wildlife resources, as is provided for in our national constitution,” Nambahu said.
He said sustainable use of wildlife resources is the result of good conservation and wildlife management, adding that it is in the collective interest of parliamentarians the world over to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources for livelihood security and biodiversity conservation.
The information session was held in light of ongoing advocacy for trophy hunting to be banned in Namibia and elsewhere.
The JPA which was attended by 350 parliamentarians from ACP and EU countries ended yesterday.
- Nampa
SOURCE:http://www.namibian.com.na/Namibias-wildlife-well-managed-Shifeta/41812/read
