The work of the newly recruited community rangers began with research among the local population: “How do you deal with predators, especially lions, when they kill your cattle?” was the central question the rangers asked the people in the village of Quqao south of the Okavango Delta. The answer was as sad as it was unanimous: “We kill them. Not because we want to, but because we see no other option”.

That is about to change.

The graph below shows how important the work of the community rangers is. In just three months, a total of 8 cows, 4 goats and a donkey have been killed by lions and hyenas. For the people these losses have existential consequences, often it is their only belongings.

Our five newly recruited young community rangers come exactly from this conflict region and have had no contact with nature conservation so far.

As part of the project “SAVE LIONS – Living with Lions”, they were trained in the use of GPS and camera traps. They learned how to enter coordinates on maps, how to safely place and operate camera traps to record lion populations – and to do so before they approach the villagers’ large herds.

The rangers are now in the process of analysing concrete conflict situations in order to then promptly offer effective solutions for herd protection: such as building mobile and predator-proof fences or crows to protect the cattle. All in all, the five rangers are one thing above all: local ambassadors for a rethink in dealing with predators.

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