Namibia’s black rhino conservation sector has formally strengthened its approach with the establishment of the Black Rhino Association of Namibia (BRAN).
According to stakeholders, this marks a milestone for partnership-driven conservation efforts aimed at protecting Namibia’s black rhino population through stronger coordination between custodians, government and conservation organisations.
BRAN brings together communal and freehold custodians, Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, WWF Namibia, Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF) and Save the Rhino Trust Namibia, among other stakeholders.
The association will also support practical capacity on the ground: from training and skills development to access to the equipment needed for monitoring and protection across often remote and demanding landscapes.
According to NNF, Namibia is home to more than 2 000 black rhinos with about a third conserved outside state-protected areas through the country’s Black Rhino Custodianship Programme.
The programme is built around long-term partnerships with landholders and custodians. However, sector stakeholders say increasing pressures, including poaching, drought and economic constraints, are placing rhinos and custodians under strain.
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