When community game ranger Andrew Kharuxab received a call three months ago about lions killing livestock in the remote Otjondumbu area of Kunene, he did not have the luxury of waiting for transport. There was no vehicle available.
Instead, the 34-year-old packed a bedroll, slung a backpack over his shoulder and began walking the roughly 36 kilometres from Khowarib towards the scene, determined to reach the affected farmers before crucial evidence disappeared.
By the time he had walked about 11 kilometres, a passing Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC) vehicle spotted him and offered him a lift. But when Andrew finally arrived, the situation had worsened. What had initially been reported as three goats killed by lions had escalated to 13 livestock losses. For Andrew, delaying until the following day was never an option. "If I have to sit and wait, it will cost the farmer," he said, explaining that vultures and other scavengers can quickly destroy carcasses and make it difficult to verify livestock losses for compensation claims.
Andrew's determination has captured widespread public attention after his story was shared online by IRDNC, but conservationists say his experience reflects a much larger reality facing community game rangers across Namibia's communal conservancies. Far from being an isolated act of dedication, they say it highlights the daily challenges of protecting both rural communities and Namibia's internationally celebrated wildlife with limited resources.
Andrew, who has worked in conservation for three years and now serves as a community game ranger in the Anabeb Conservancy, says the biggest obstacle is not the lions themselves. "It is transport," he said.
The conservancy has just six community game rangers responsible for covering a vast landscape where human-wildlife conflict is common. Those rangers largely rely on a single vehicle that is shared among several conservation projects, making rapid responses difficult when multiple incidents occur at the same time. "Our biggest challenge is that we have only one vehicle," Andrew said. "Sometimes incidents happen at the same time."
Many livestock attacks occur in isolated farming areas, often several kilometres from the nearest settlement, where poor roads and unreliable cellphone reception make communication and emergency responses even more difficult. Yet Andrew says responding to attacks is only one part of the job. Much of his work focuses on preventing conflict before it happens.
Community game rangers regularly monitor predator movements, track fresh lion “spore” and warn nearby farmers whenever lions are approaching grazing areas. Where cellphone coverage exists, farmers are alerted by phone and advised to move livestock to safer areas. In places without network coverage, rangers often have no choice but to patrol on foot in search of tracks before warning surrounding communities.
The work requires balancing two competing priorities: protecting wildlife while safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers who depend on their livestock. Andrew says both are equally important. Communal conservancies rely heavily on wildlife for tourism, conservation income and employment, while rural families rely on livestock for food and financial security. "We work together with the farmers," he said. "We give them information about where the lions are so they can protect their animals."
One of the most effective tools in reducing livestock losses has been the construction of predator-proof kraals, reinforced enclosures designed to keep livestock safe at night. Andrew said he previously worked on building the structures before becoming a game ranger and believes they have significantly reduced attacks where they have been installed.
However, many farmers are still waiting for assistance because of shortages of building materials. Beyond additional vehicles, Andrew believes community game rangers need better communications, more predator-proof kraals, durable field equipment and reliable lighting systems that remain operational throughout the night when lions are most active.
Even simple equipment, such as boots, presents challenges. "The boots we wear are not made for walking these long distances," he said, explaining that standard safety boots wear out quickly on Kunene's rocky terrain.
Although some have suggested donkeys could help improve mobility in remote areas, Andrew says increasing lion numbers have made that solution difficult as donkeys themselves have become frequent prey, forcing many owners to keep them securely enclosed overnight.
But behind the remarkable walk lies a broader story, one of community game rangers working long distances, often with limited equipment and transport, to protect both Namibia's wildlife and the people who live alongside it.
-desmarius@nma.com.na
