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Namibia: Rare Desert Lioness Shot Dead
Windhoek - A desert-adopted  lioness wearing a GPS tracking collar, which had been observed and studied for nine years, was shot dead at Bergsig in the Kunene Region in July.

A tour operator at Walvis Bay, Fanie du Preez, says the lioness was killed by livestock owners although there is an agreement that no collared lions should be shot, and although farmers are compensated for livestock killed by desert lions.

He said wildlife such as desert-adapted lions, rhinos and elephants brought many tourists to Namibia.

"One living desert lion is, tourism-wise, worth more than all the livestock in these regions together.

Just last week, the same Ministry talked about closing the beaches for vehicles to save our heritage for future tourism.

Now that seems to be just lip-service," said Du Preez.

The Deputy Director of Parks and Wildlife Management, Colgar Sikopo, said he was not aware of the incident.

But Naftali Eliaser, the Ministry's Warden in the Kunene-South region, confirmed the killing.

He said the collared lioness was among a group of four lions that had killed five cattle, seven donkeys and two dogs at Bersig in June and July.

A young male lion was also shot by local farmers, who "had the right to kill problem animals", he said.

According to the Kunene Lion Project's website, the killed lioness was the oldest female in the pride and had been the subject of intensive monitoring.

"Disappointingly, she started killing livestock at Bersig and was shot on July 13 2008," it is stated on the website.

In a recently televised documentary film, the head of the Kunene Lion Project, Dr Flip Stander, said the population of desert lions had recovered from about 30 cats in the 1990s to almost 100 today.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200808140424.html
 

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