Fence boosts safety at lion-threatened school
As desert-adapted lions continue to move through the landscapes of north- western Namibia, ensuring the safety of the communities living alongside them remains essential to the future of conservation. Recognising growing concerns about the safety of learners at Otjizeka Primary School, ultimate.earth (previously Ultimate Safaris), through its Conservation Travel Foundation (CTF), and with the support of the Lion Recovery Fund and Desert Lion Conservation, has sponsored the erection of a protective fence around the school at a cost of almost N$100,000. With increased desert lion activity in the surrounding area, the safety of children attending the school had become a growing concern. The new fence is intended to help create a safer learning environment, providing
greater peace of mind for learners, teachers and parents, while allowing the school to continue serving its
community.
The initiative was coordinated by Simson Uri-Khob, CEO of Save the Rhino Trust Namibia, whose longstanding work in conservation and community engagement has helped bring together partners committed to protecting both people and wildlife. “Conservation can only succeed in the long term if the people who share their landscapes with wildlife are safe and supported. Protecting children and creating a safe environment for them to learn is fundamental. This initiative is a practical example of how conservation partners can work together to address the real challenges faced by communities living alongside Namibia’s remarkable wildlife,” said Tristan Cowley,
Managing Director of ultimate.earth and founder of the Conservation Travel Foundation.
For ultimate.earth, the project builds on an existing relationship with Otjizeka Primary School, which the company has previously supported through the provision of blankets to help learners stay warm during the cold winter months. The latest contribution reflects a continued commitment to supporting the wellbeing of children and the communities that form an integral part of Namibia’s conservation landscapes. While Namibia’s desert-adapted lions are an internationally significant conservation treasure, their presence also brings practical challenges for the people who share their range. Supporting coexistence means recognising these challenges and working collaboratively to find tangible solutions that help people live more safely alongside wildlife.
Through its Conservation Travel Foundation, ultimate.earth supports initiatives that connect tourism with meaningful conservation and community benefits. The foundation works alongside conservation organisations and local partners to help ensure that the value generated by Namibia’s tourism industry contributes to the people and landscapes that make the country so extraordinary. The Otjizeka school fence is a relatively small intervention in a vast landscape, but one with an important purpose: helping children learn in a safer environment while reinforcing the principle that people and wildlife must both have a place in Namibia’s conservation future.
