Lions in the Northwest continue to be monitored
Journeys Namibia and Shipwreck Lodge have donated N$64 000 through TOSCO (Tourism Supporting Conservation Trust) towards the purchase of two VHF (ultra short wave) receivers to be used by the Lion Rangers research team.GPS/satellite collars typically have VHF capabilities and emit radio frequencies that can be picked up by a receiver and antenna. This allows the desert lions to be tracked on the ground in real time by the Lion Rangers and their associated researchers, allowing for observational studies to be conducted.
TOSCO thanked the company for its support in protecting the desert lions, saying, "With more than half of the estimated population being collared, the north-west Namibian population is considered one of the most extensively monitored in Africa."
The GPS/satellite collars not only play an important role in regularly determining the position and movements of the lions via satellite, but also in automatically alerting farmers, lion rangers and MEFT staff via SMS when the collared lions enter farmland.
"We would also like to acknowledge the support of the Community Conservation Fund in Namibia (CCFN) for the purchase of two foldable Yagi antennas for the VHF receivers," TOSCO said.