March 29, 2024

Dwarf Lions of the Desert

The ancient Greeks referred to the chameleon (chamai leon) as dwarf or earth lion because of the fighting spirit the small creature revealed when attacked. Given the fact that the embryo develops underground – the female digs a hole for the eggs and the young have to literally dig their way out – these tiny creatures fight for their survival from the word go.
March 28, 2024

Giving Plastic Pollution a Cute Face

Seals are popularly known as the dogs of the sea. This is because seals and dogs are physically similar and therefore classed in the same carnivore sub-order called Caniformes (meaning dog-like). Even their behaviour is similar, as seals are known to be playful and intelligent. Not surprisingly, humans can easily relate to seals as the marine version of man’s best friend.
March 4, 2024

Slofari: Namibia allows you the time to s-l-o-w down

Slow travel is a mindful approach of taking the time to see less, but experience more. It is about exploring one or two regions rather than sprinting through an entire country merely to tick the boxes. Slow travel is about immersing yourself within a culture to better understand its people and their way of life. It is about partaking in authentic, community-led experiences with those who have the best interests of the environment at heart.
January 21, 2024

Namibia’s Biomass Revolution

With 45 million hectares of the country considered “bush encroached”, Namibia finds itself in a unique situation – one which holds the potential to provide revenue and opportunity. And indeed, a dynamic industry is developing around the biomass resource. Here is a summary of what was discussed at the recent Standard Bank Biomass Fair 2023.
January 17, 2024

At Home Under A Bushmanland Baobab

Bumpy roads often lead to the best destinations, especially when accompanied by dense bushveld all around and the sight of a baobab in the distance, protruding far above the treeline. This particular jeep track veers deep into the Nyae Nyae conservancy of Namibia’s northeast and leads us to a crescent koppie – in the nape of its bend a quintessential Bushmanland baobab – for the inauguration of the research base camp of the Pangolin Conservation and Research Foundation (PCRF).
January 17, 2024

The Kavango-Zambezi transfrontier ELEPHANT SURVEY

The first flight to begin an elephant survey covering parts of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe took off from a dirt strip in Zimbabwe on 22 August 2022. The survey area, known as the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), hosts over half of Africa’s savanna elephants, which underlines the importance of the survey.
September 27, 2023

Community-driven transformation uncovering Ombonde People’s Park

Discover the untamed beauty of the Erongo-Kunene Community Conservation Area and Ombonde People’s Park, a dynamic bridge between tradition and innovation. Journey through stunning landscapes, from scenic savannah woodlands to ancient river valleys, while supporting a community-driven vision for sustainable Namibian tourism. Witness the harmonious coexistence of culture, wildlife, and nature in this upcoming gem.
June 25, 2023

30 years of putting Nature First at Ongava

Article 95 stipulates that the State shall actively promote and maintain the welfare of the people by adopting international policies aimed at, among others, according to Section 12 the “maintenance of ecosystems, essential ecological processes and biological diversity of Namibia and utilisation of living natural resources on a sustainable basis for the benefit of all Namibians, both present and future; [...]." This made Namibia one of the first countries to include provisions for environmental protection in its constitution.