#02 Wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation
The Kunene Region is known for its wild live. Now, it’s not like a park, where you can drive on an allocated street and take your pictures. People here live with wild live. Giraffes sometimes block the street but they aren’t dangerous at all. But there are species you don’t really want to meet. It was a coincidence. Close to the street I saw this little very well maintained building with the sign „Torra Conservancy“. The door was open and I met them all – the headman of the village as well as experts on the wildlife in this area. The headman is 97 years old and I asked him how live in this village is. He came from South Africa in 1973/74 to this place but he couldn’t tell me how old this village is. It took me a couple of days to figure out that people didn’t came to this stony desert by choice. They were brought here by force during the apartheid area.
I always ask the headman of the village for permission if I can set up my tent. This is in many Arfrican places a social convention as well as a form of respect. It is also a good idea to ask the local people if a certain area is save because in Damaraland are quite a few animals out there, such as lions, the brown hyena, the spotted hyena, cheetahs, leopards and jackals, which potentially can become dangerous. However, if you are in a tent they wouldn’t attack you.
