The Namibian

29 July 2019

The livestock restriction the Regional Councillor of Aranos has implemented has come into effect, farmers are dissuaded from farming if population exceeds 5 livestock per hectare. However, this is 25 times above the actual carrying capacity, and has instead encouraged farmers to farm more thinking that the carrying capacity of their land is 5 animals per hectare.

At the same time, increasing uncharacteristic behaviour of the animals in the area have caused frustration among the humans, with the humans becoming increasingly confused by the animals’ behaviour. This includes the honey badgers raiding human settlements and villages, even killing livestock, leopards moving into closer proximity with humans by moving into the conservancies, while certain animal populations have been becoming more malicious, causing the humans to become more suspicious and antagonistic towards the animal populations

More animals have started crossing the highways, resulting in jams on the roads as farmers attempt to prevent the deaths of even more animals than before.

Near Mariental, sheep herders and their sheep have been mauled by big cats in the area, resulting in severe injury and several herders being sent to the hospital for treatment. 2 remain in critical condition.